By Sola Ogundipe

Nigerians have again been urged to regard voluntary blood donation as a social and civic responsibility.

The call came on the heels of the chronic blood shortage and insufficient blood banks in hospitals across the country.,

Making the call in Lagos, Emmanuel Agba, a pharmacist, said voluntary  blood donation is the  safest means of obtaining safe blood, and that, when carried out appropriately, had potential to save lives.

Lamenting the poor blood banking services in the country and inadequacy of safe blood, Agba, who is Managing Director,  Tyonex Healthcare Ltd, lamented that even as a member nation of the World Health Organisation,WHO, Nigeria had made little progress with voluntary donor recruitment.

“The blood banking system in Nigeria is still poorly developed as a number of centers depend on paid donors whose hematological and infectious status may not determined often times prior to blood donations,” he noted.

Agba, who spoke on occasion of  the 2015 World Blood Donor Day in Lagos  recognised the growing need for blood from a broad range of patients and accident victims. “Blood donation is an important civic duty and we should see it as such. People die every day in our hospitals due to loss of blood and blood shortage in blood banks. This is needless loss of lives, and we can help just by donating blood and playing our part as citizens. It is a good cause and we should all identify with it.”

The Day, with the theme “Thank You for Saving My Life,”  sponsored by Tyonex Healthcare, held at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja hosted by the Nigerian Medical Association and Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee.

In his remarks, the Chairman of NMA, Lagos Branch Dr. Tope Ojo noted that there was a more robust management of blood donation by the Lagos State government, saying it was safe to donate blood while donors could also derive benefits such as free medical checks and the satisfaction of saving a life with each donation.

At the event, several people volunteered to give blood. All were tested to determine their fitness and qualification to donate. The WHO earmarks the World Blood Donor Day (June 14) as a day to raise consciousness and promote blood donation across the world.