The Lagos State Ministry of Health has warned against the use of uncertified blood for transfusion by private and public blood banks in the state, stating that erring banks would henceforth be sanctioned.
The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who issued the directive during the 2016 World Blood Donor Day held in Lagos, stated that the new directive would ensure that quality and credibility of blood is not compromised during transfusion.
He also enjoined blood bank operators in the state to register with the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service for the effective monitoring and control of blood used for transfusion as the logo of the State Government would be used to identify certified blood.
Speaking on the significance of having blood services as a community service, Idris reiterated the state government’s commitment towards creating awareness about regular and voluntary donations. He said that the process would give rise to self-sufficiency in safe blood demand.
He also stated that voluntary blood donors are known to be the foundation of adequate supply of safe blood due to their lower prevalence of Transmission Transmissible Infections (TTIs), adding that voluntary donors can walk into any of the 21 public hospitals as well as three stand-alone blood donor centres in the state to donate blood.
Idris, who explained that the state requires a cumulative average of 70, 000 units of blood annually, also revealed that 32, 619 units of blood were donated in public health facilities in 2015 with only 4, 175 units, that is about 13 per cent, sourced from voluntary donors while 33 per cent and 54 per cent were gotten from replacement and antenatal donors respectively.
To boost the campaign for increased blood donation, the commissioner also issued directive to place a bloodmobile vehicle at the Ikeja City Mall to serve as an additional blood donation centre to the stand-alone centres in General Hospitals, Lagos State College of Health Technology (LASCOHET) and Alimosho General Hospital, Igando.
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