The Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service has called for voluntary blood donors.
Speaking at the Awareness Walk, Symposium & Scientific Conference in Commemoration of Yr2023 World Blood Donor Day, Executive Director, Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service, Dr Bodunrin Osikomaiya, emphasised that the act of giving blood was not merely an altruistic deed, saying it was an act of solidarity, compassion, and humanity that transcends borders, cultures, and backgrounds.
The event was titled, ‘Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often.’
She said, “When you give blood, you offer the gift of life itself and extend a lifeline to those who are battling illness, facing challenging medical conditions, unforeseen emergencies, and complex surgical procedures. I want you to know that every drop of your blood has made a great difference. your generosity and selflessness have given hope and a renewed lease on life to countless patients who rely on blood transfusions to survive.”
Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Olusegun Ogboye, said, “One of the problems in this sector is the cost of preparing a pint of blood. The grouping and matching before transfusion is a little bit too high, both for the people screening and the hospital transfusing, they are the ones bearing the cost.
“We are working with the government to ensure a fair amount for all whereby, the government bears part of the cost so that the heavy cost is not transferred to the patients and personnel that prepared the blood.”
Also speaking, Director of Pathology Services, Lagos State, Babafemi Thomas, added that blood donation needs would be met if two percent of the population could be recruited to be voluntary donors.
“We should encourage people to see the value of blood and blood products in the health sector. The advice is to encourage people or recruit people in that manner to be voluntary donors.
“I will suggest that we look into the health sector and subsidise that environment. “When it comes to things like cancers, which also blood products are very essential for, it may be something too humongous for an average person to meet financially, so it may be in the interest of the government to promote the health of its workforce for the productivity of the country at large,” he said.
