.hails donors, organisations, others over blood donation

By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – AS Nigeria joins rest of the world to commemorate 2026 World Blood Donor Day, a nonprofit organization, Haima Health, yesterday, tasked government at all levels and development partners on upscaling investment on blood systems, public awareness, and donor retention.

Speaking on the inadequate blood banks, low number of blood donors, and the need to really focus on the issue, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Haima Health, Bukola Bolarinwa, said the demand for blood is rising on a daily basis as a result of increasing blood related diseases, saying “We remain far below this target.”

 The theme of the 2026 is ‘One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives’, which she maintained that “blood is unique. Unlike many medical products, it cannot be manufactured in a laboratory. It can only come from healthy individuals willing to donate. This simple reality places blood donors at the very heart of every healthcare system.”

According to her, Haima Health is bridging the gap, which serves as “a daily operational commitment.” She continued, “In the past 10 years, our organisation mobilised donors across Nigeria through a series of community blood drives, pop-up donation points at events, and institutional partnerships that collectively yielded thousands of units of life-saving blood. We partner with the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee (LSBTC), the National Blood Service Agency (NBSA), universities, NGOs and faith communities to reach donors where they live, worship, and gather.”

Speaking on the Day, she said, “We join millions globally in celebrating the everyday heroes whose generosity saves lives. This year’s theme, “One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives”, is a powerful reminder that within every drop of voluntarily donated blood lies solidarity, compassion, and shared humanity.

“While we celebrate progress, we must also acknowledge the gaps that remain. For many Nigerians, access to safe blood is still a matter of life and death. The World Health Organization recommends that countries collect blood equivalent to at least one per cent of their population annually. We remain far below this target.

“Every day, mothers facing childbirth complications, people living with sickle cell disease, accident victims, cancer patients, and those undergoing emergency surgery depend on the availability of safe blood. These shortages rarely make headlines, but they claim lives with quiet, relentless impact.

Meanwhile, she lamented several barriers continue to limit supply including misconceptions about blood donation, which discourages many eligible donors while cultural beliefs hold back first-time donors, and the nation’s blood infrastructures had remained concentrated in cities, leaving rural communities dangerously underserved.

“Addressing these gaps requires more than goodwill and good intentions. It demands sustained investment in blood systems, stronger public awareness, improved donor retention programmes, expanded donation opportunities, and greater collaboration among government, healthcare institutions and the private sector. Safe blood should not depend on chance, personal networks, or emergency appeals. It should be available whenever and wherever it is needed.

“This World Blood Donor Day, let us move beyond celebration and embrace action. Let us encourage more eligible Nigerians to become regular voluntary blood donors. Let us support the institutions working tirelessly to improve access to safe blood. And let us recognise that every donation strengthens the lifeline that connects us all.

To every donor, volunteer, healthcare worker, partner, and supporter, thank you. Your contribution reflects the very best of our shared humanity because in every drop of blood given freely, there is hope. There is solidarity. There is life”, she added.