Health ministry urges Nigerians to donate blood voluntarily in order to curb avoidable deaths

onnaedo

June 18, 2015 3:22 PM

The FG also persuaded states ministries of health to show their appreciation of regular voluntary unpaid donors and provide adequate resources for quality donor care.

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The Federal Government has decried the low level of voluntary non remunerated blood donation in the country, saying with a population of over 170 million, the estimated blood needs in Nigeria is about 1.4 to 1.7 million units of blood per annum.

Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Health, Mr. Linus Awute, and the Director of Hospital Services, Dr. David Atura, said the use of blood and blood products has become an integral part of modern medical practice and world over, about 108 million units of blood are utilized per annum.

The duo made this known while speaking on the occasion of the World Blood Donor Day (WBDD).

They said while 1.4 to 1.7 million units of blood is needed per annum, unfortunately much less is collected, leading to avoidable deaths and morbidities particularly amongst the women folk, newborn children, victims of road traffic accidents and insurgencies.

Awute said the situation can improve if only 1% of the country’s adult population commit themselves to voluntary non-remunerated blood donation on a regular basis.

He said this would go a long way in getting rid of touts and blood racketeering, as the supply will outweigh the demand.

He said the health ministry’s statistics show that voluntary non-remunerated blood donation accounts for only 10% of total blood collection, while family replacement donations and commercial donations account for 30 and 60% respectively.

onnaedo