The Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service has issued a plea for individuals to come forward as voluntary blood donors.
The appeal was made during the Awareness Walk, Symposium, and Scientific Conference held in commemoration of the 2023 World Blood Donor Day.
Dr. Bodunrin Osikomaiya, Executive Director of the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service, stressed at the event that donating blood was more than just a selfless act, saying, it was an expression of unity, compassion, and humanity that went beyond geographical, cultural, and social boundaries.
In an event 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 of life to countless patients who rely on blood transfusions to survive.”
The 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, adding that 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, said that blood donation needs would be met if two per cent 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.
