Daily Trust (Abuja)

Nigeria: Blood Donor Day - 'Less Than 1 Percent of Nigerians Donate Blood'

13 June 2012

Less than one per cent of the Nigerian population donates blood, a Consultant Hematologist, Dr Vincent Osunkalu, said in Lagos yesterday.

Osunkalu of the College of Medicine, Idi-Araba, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to mark the 2012 World Blood Donor Day.

NAN reports that the day slated for tomorrow has the theme: "Every Blood Donor is a Hero". Osunkalu said the low percentage of blood donors in the country would not augur well for the healthcare delivery system as many hospitals lacked blood.

He said there were three broad categories of blood donors, which included voluntary non-remunerated, family replacements and the commercial donors.

The consultant said, ideally, those encouraged to donate blood are 18 to 65 year-old healthy voluntary donors, who could donate every three months or twice a year.

NAN

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