Nigeria far from achieving 100% voluntary blood donation — NBSC

Despite the importance of blood to human life and medical treatments, National Blood Service Commission (NBSC), says Nigeria is far from achieving 100% voluntary blood donations due to the poor culture of voluntary blood donation.

The Acting, Zonal director of NBSC, South West zone, Dr Oladapo Aworanti who disclosed this at Nigeria’s National Blood Donor Day and rally, in Ibadan, said Nigerians need to see blood donation as civil responsibility to ensure the country meets its demands for blood in medical care.

He stated that by relying on paid blood donors, it will be impossible to ensure the availability of safe and adequate blood for Nigerians in need of it.

The haematologist declared that the maiden edition of the National Blood Donor Day and rally was coming on the heels of increasing awareness of voluntary blood donation, improving on the quality of blood units in the bank and the need for more units of blood during the festivity.

Dr Aworanti declared, “we realised that we cannot be doing this once every year, that is why we have added Nigeria’s National Blood Donor Day version. So, if we can get our people to donate regularly, we will meet our traditional needs.

“There are lots of benefits for donors, they can get a routine health check done free of charge. They will check their blood pressure, blood level, Transfusion Transmissible Infections (TTIs), HIV and hepatitis free of charge. When you give out units of blood, new ones will form. If they too need blood, they will be given free.”

President Rotary Club of Ibadan Prestige, Rotarian Obafemi Olusola, who joined  the rally alongside other members of the club, said members of the club were joining the celebration to donate blood because it is an act to save lives.

“The donor today might need the blood tomorrow, so it is important to support this course,” he said.