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The Anambra State Health Management Board has intensified efforts to promote voluntary blood donation by taking its awareness campaign to local markets across the state, with the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, urging hospitals to maintain registers of blood donors for emergency use.
The campaign, spearheaded by Enugwu-Ukwu General Hospital in Njikoka Local Government Area, featured a roadshow along the old Enugu-Onitsha Road, culminating at Nkwo-Enugwu-Ukwu Market. Health workers used the opportunity to educate traders and residents on the importance of blood donation and its life-saving benefits.
Addressing the crowd, the hospital’s Head of Administration, Mrs. Blessing Otigi, encouraged members of the public to donate blood voluntarily, stressing that donors also benefit from free health screening, which helps them monitor their health status.
She explained that blood donation contributes to the body’s natural process of producing fresh blood cells, adding that regular donation offers several health benefits. According to her, blood remains an essential resource in healthcare, and donating it is equivalent to giving someone a second chance at life.
Speaking during a lecture held at the hospital after the roadshow, a haematologist, Mrs. Ogonna Okonkwo, noted that June 14 is observed annually as World Blood Donor Day to honour millions of voluntary and unpaid donors whose contributions save lives globally.
Okonkwo highlighted the persistent shortage of safe blood supplies in many countries, particularly in low- and middle-income nations. She lamented that Nigeria, with a population of over 200 million people, requires between 1.8 million and 2.2 million units of blood annually but currently records less than 500,000 units in reserve.
She listed some benefits of blood donation to include free health checks, improved cardiovascular health, reduced stress and anxiety, and stimulation of blood cell production.
In his remarks, Dr. Obidike commended Enugwu-Ukwu General Hospital for maintaining a functional blood bank and recalled the challenges associated with accessing blood supplies before the current administration prioritised improvements in blood banking services across state-owned hospitals.
The commissioner urged the hospital management to compile and maintain a database of blood donors to facilitate quick contact whenever emergencies arise. He also encouraged health workers to sustain the awareness drive and continue promoting voluntary blood donation across the state.
