Ahmadiyya Muslim community saves lives with blood donation
Two thousand, seven hundred and seven units of blood were donated by volunteers at the 2020 annual Convention of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission Ghana at Gomoa Pomadze, near Winneba Junction in the Central Region.
Dubbed “The Ahmadiyya Muslim Blood Drive”, the blood donation exercise was initiated decades ago and has since remained the mission’s flagship project, especially during its annual convention, aimed at saving lives.
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The exercise has been in collaboration with the National Blood Service, Ghana, Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH), Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Trauma & Specialist Hospital, Tema General Hospital, Mercy Women’s Catholic Hospital, Koforidua Regional Hospital and Tarkwa Municipal Hospital.
Addressing members at the 88th annual convention, the Ameer and Missionary-In-Charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Ghana, Alhaji Maulvi Mohammed Bin Salih, who has been a staunch advocate of the blood donation initiative, challenged members to break their own national record set in the previous year.
In 2018, members donated 2,087 pints of blood during the 87th annual convention, which was the highest any organisation had donated in the country.
Holy Qur'an
The Ameer quoted the Holy Qur'an (5:33) which states: “And whoever gave life to one, it shall be as if he had given life to the whole mankind,” and remarked that, “We, Ahmadis, see blood donation as a form of worship.”
He explained that the blood donation was in fulfilment of the Islamic teachings of love and sacrifice to mankind.
He gave an assurance that the Ahmadiyya blood drive initiative would continue to address critical situations and most importantly save lives.
Donate blood
In that regard, Alhaji Bin Salih encouraged all to donate blood to ensure that patients and people who were in dire need of blood to survive were saved, indicating that blood donated was for the sole purpose of saving lives and no other thing.
“What Allah likes best is feeding a hungry person in need or relieving a person of his afflictions. Following this teaching should make us ever prepared to help anyone in need, including donating blood to save lives,” he told the Ahmadi Muslims.
The Ameer noted that blood and blood products were critical in emergency care but as essential as it was, it could not be manufactured; therefore, its only source was by voluntary donation.
Ahmadi Muslims
Some of the Ahmadi Muslims, after going through the exercise expressed their happiness for donating blood to save lives. Besides saving lives, Ahmadi Muslims have benefited in diverse ways from voluntary blood donation.
In the year 2019, a total of 264 units of whole blood and 14 units of Fresh Frozen Plasma were used for 26 Ahmadis in critical conditions in about eight hospitals.
This was facilitated by the success and connections of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Blood Drive.