G. Accra Health Directorate organises blood donation
The Greater Accra Regional Health Direcorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has organised a blood donation exercise to boost operations of the National Blood Bank (NBB) in order to help save lives.
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The voluntary exercise, which was organised at the Ridge and the Tema General hospitals, was to encourage individuals to donate blood freely to save lives and reduce maternal mortality in the country.
Speaking to the volunteers and other stakeholders at the blood donation exercise in Accra, the Greater Accra Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Linda A. Vanotoo, said the initiative was to ensure that blood was made available to mothers, children and anyone who would need blood due to medical conditions.
She said the exercise was part of the GHS efforts to improve on maternal and new born survival in the country.
Dr Vanotoo indicated that, last year for the Greater Accra region, 197 maternal deaths out of which 100 died as a result of bleeding were recorded. “In order to prevent further deaths, there was the need for adequate availability of blood at the blood banks” she said.
“Blood is something that has to be replaced. As part of the workers day, we decided to solicit the support of the general public to donate blood voluntarily to support a worthy cause,” she said.
Dr Vanotoo said the exercise was organised at the Ridge and Tema General hospitals because other hospitals depended so much on them for blood.
Donate voluntarily
Dr Vanotoo, therefore, encouraged individuals to voluntarily donate blood to save mothers and other individuals who would need blood in the hospitals.
“When we donate blood, we are not only saving the lives of pregnant women but also the new-born babies,” she said.
For his part, a medical consultant, Dr Emmanuel Srofenyoh, said Ghana was lagging behind in Africa as the rate of maternal mortality was high.
Citing some benefits of blood donation, Dr Srofenyoh said it enhanced cell formation and replacement, to ensure that the body functions properly or better.
“Donors do not only have the benefit of saving lives, but also replace new cells in their bodies,” he said.
He, therefore, encouraged individuals to do away with the notion that blood was sold in the hospitals, adding, “If we donate blood, we save people’s lives including yours, because you don’t know when you or your loved one would be in need of blood,”.
Collective duty
Dr Srofenyoh expressed the hope that more people would come on board and not only donate blood during special occasions, but make it a regular routine.
“We are expecting a total of 1000 units of blood today to save mothers and individuals in need,” he said.
