Experts have stressed the need for people to donate blood at least three times annually even as good-spirited Nigerians donated blood at Isolo General Hospital, to increase blood supply at the hospital’s Blood bank in commemoration of the World Blood Donor Day, WBDD 2023.
Speaking at an event to mark the Day with the theme: “Give Blood, Give Plasma, Share Life, Share Often; a Consultant Haematologist, Dr. Chris Onalu, explained that WBDD is a day set aside for people to come and donate blood voluntarily while creating awareness on the need for voluntary blood donation.
Onalu said: “People die for lack of blood, especially during childbirth, after delivery, some would start bleeding, these people need blood to survive. We found that in this country, a lot of people do not have the habit of donating blood voluntarily, so this day is to encourage people to donate to save a life.
“Before donating blood, the donor must undergo pre-donation screening to ensure the donor is eligible, has enough blood to give out and does not have transmittable infections. If the donor fails in any of the parameters, the person is not eligible,” he said.
Also, Chief Medical Laboratory Scientist, Mrs Ajilore Iyabo, said WBDD is for recruiting voluntary blood donors to have enough blood in the blood bank to save a life.
Earlier, the Medical Director of Dr. Aderade Ijogun, said that five pints of blood are normal for everybody, saying: “When we celebrate blood donor day, it means we are celebrating life because blood is life. Blood donation has health benefits for the donor.”
On his part, General Outpatient Department, Dr Timothy Abodunde, explained that the bone marrow produces red blood cells.
Abodunde said, “When you are getting older, the bone marrow cell becomes fatty, so you are left with very few bone marrows producing cells. With regular blood donation, you convert the fatty bone marrow to blood-producing marrow in itself. So you have a reserve, instead of having a few bone marrows producing blood, you now have much more of the red cell producing blood in your system.
“When you donate blood, you push out the old blood in your system and the body would now produce new and fresh blood into the system. It is abnormal to sell blood; blood is not produced. Saving a life is worth more than money.
You cannot equate money to live; the blood you donate can save anybody.
I donate three times a year, when you donate blood you are doing your heart a lot of good and it makes you fit.
A donor: Council Manager, Isolo LCDA, Samson Akinbami, described blood as life, saying: “I always want to donate; it is not easy to give blood because blood is life. I am available to give three or four months because I am in for what would save a life.”
Another donor, a Cleaner at IGH, Popoola Ganiyat, said: “If I don’t donate blood it would affect me. Presently, my packed cell volume, PCV is 47. I donate every three months, but sometimes I skip, I donate for free. People who collect money to donate blood are ignorant, when you give blood you save a life, a pint of blood can save a life.
SOURCE: VANGUARD
