The National Blood Service Commission (NBC), on Thursday, reiterated its resolve to drastically reduce the level of maternal mortality usually occasioned by blood loss during childbirth.
Speaking during a media briefing alongside sponsor of the Bill, Hon Abas Tajudeen, now an Act of the National Assembly that established the Commission, Director General of the agency, Dr Omale Joseph, explained that not less than 15 per cent of every 1,000 women die due to blood loss during childbirth.
While urging Nigerians to imbibe the practice of donating blood, Dr Omale observed that: “As you donate blood, you’re saving a life, and not only that, research has shown that people who donate blood regularly live more healthy.”
According to him, the Commission was putting the mechanism in place to check sharp practices by hospitals in the use of blood for patients, adding that through its One Million Safe Blood Initiative, it was expected that safe blood will be accessible for Nigerians in the six geopolitical zones of the country at any point in time.
According to him, the Commission which had the three core mandates of “regulation, coordination and ensuring the provision of safe blood to the people,” gave the assurance that plans were already in top gear to ensure that wastage of stored blood is halted through the use of expired blood for the production of usable components, noting that safe blood had a viable lifespan of between 30 and 35 days.
Fielding question on how Nigerians could be encouraged to have their blood groups handy to help in cases of emergency, Dr Omale disclosed that for a start, the Commission was already collaborating with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), to ensure that drivers’ licenses are issued with the holders’ blood IDs.
Speaking earlier, Hon Tajudeen described President Muhammadu Buhari’s assent to the Bill as “a very important milestone achieved in the health sector,” as according to him, blood transfusion before now had been largely unregulated, with a lot of sharp practices involved.
The lawmaker said available statistics have shown that over 40 per cent of voluntarily donated blood was unsafe for use, with the majority of donors doing so for monetary gains, adding that in some cases, recipients ended up being infected with diseases, but that with the Commission in place, a lot of such issues will be addressed.
The Commission’s establishment Bill, which was introduced by Hon Abas Tajudeen in the House of Representatives was passed in March 2021, got Senate’s concurrence in June 2021 and was subsequently signed into law by President Buhari.
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