Chika Onuorah
Voluntary Blood donation is the free donation of blood to meet emergency requirements in cases of road traffic accidents, complications of pregnancy and childbirth, various anemic disorders and surgical emergencies among others. Blood is so essential in a hospital environment that major surgeries cannot be performed if blood is not on standby in the theatre.
However, this essential health services commodity continues to be scarce in most blood banks in Nigerian hospitals. Sadly, the shortage of blood and its products add to the persistently high maternal mortality in the country. It is to this effect that the House of Representatives decried low level of voluntary non-remunerated blood donation in the country.
And in a bid to reverse the alarming situation, it recently adopted a motion for the urgent need to encourage voluntary blood donation to the National Blood Bank in order to save lives. The motion was moved by Honourable Chike John Okafor, the Chairman of Committee on Health Services.
He stated that there is insufficient blood in the National Blood Bank and all the health institutions in the country are in short supply of donated blood and that one major way of obtaining blood is through voluntary blood donation by Nigerians to the National Blood Bank.
He also made an appeal to the political class to participate in the voluntary blood donation so as to encourage other classes of Nigerians to participate as well.
The lawmaker added that many accident victims, women in labour and patients who need surgeries have died in many parts of the country because they could not get blood. It is not unusual to see relatives of patients in emergencies, running helter skelter to get blood or blood products. Shortage of this life-saving fluid is a recurrent problem in the delivery of medical care.
Okafor also noted that one of the most significant contributions a person can make towards the society is actually partaking in blood donation. According to him, many Nigerians feel they have nothing to offer the society but then, blood donation is one good way to contribute to the society.
The House has to this effect urged the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Orientation Agency and other relevant agencies to create more awareness across the country on the need for voluntary blood donations, especially by the elite. It also urged the Committee on Healthcare Services to make adequate budgetary provisions in the 2016 appropriations proposals for the Federal Ministry of Health and the National Blood Transfusion Service.
Blood donation is no harmful exercise and according to experts, it is not harmful for an adult person to donate blood. The body of the donor can regenerate the blood within few days. It poses no threat to the metabolism of the body.
The Congresswatch reports that our blood banks are running short of required blood and only the people can rescue the situation. Blood can only be stored for a limited period of time; that is why the blood banks need a steady and constant collection.
