Haima Health Initiative, a non-governmental health organization in Nigeria has a shortfall of 1.7 million pints of blood annually, calling on Nigerians to save lives by donating blood regularly.
Bukola Bolarinwa, founder of Haima Health Initiative who made the plea in Abuja in commemoration of the 2023 World Blood Donation Day, lamented the shortage of blood in blood banks in Nigeria.
“Despite its importance to sustaining life, most Nigerians do not voluntarily donate blood. Unfortunately, Nigeria’s National Blood Transfusion Service, NBTC collects only 500,000 pints of blood every year with a shortfall of about 73 percent over 1.7 million pints of blood. This is despite a population of approximately 200 million,” Bolarinwa said.
According to her, currently, there are no medical alternatives to blood donations for patients in need and laboratories cannot manufacture blood.
“These patients in need of blood regularly include women in labor, neonates, surgeries, and diseases like sickle cell anemia, cancer, and leukemia.
“Most urgently, blood is required for accidents and emergencies as witnessed following the recent train accident in Lagos, where dozens of blood donors were needed to help victims,” she said.
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