A non-governmental health organisation, Haima Health Initiative, has lamented the shortage of blood in blood banks in Nigeria, calling on Nigerians to save lives by regularly donating blood.
The founder of Haima Health Initiative, Bukola Bolarinwa, who made the call in Abuja in commemoration of the 2023 World Blood Donation Day, said Nigeria has a shortfall of 1.7 million pints of blood annually.
According to her, the World Blood Donation Day holds annually on June 14 globally to highlight the importance of blood donation in medical care and appreciate non-paid donors for their selfless gifts.
She explained that the importance of blood donation is because it cannot be manufactured in a laboratory and that there are currently no medical alternatives to blood donations for patients in need.
"These patients in need of blood regularly include women in labour, 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.
"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," she said.
