Regular blood donation reduces risks of organ diseases – Prof Adewole

The Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole has appealed to Nigerians to donate blood, stating that regular voluntary blood donation reduces risks of stroke, heart, liver and kidney diseases and obesity.
Professor Adewole also said that out of about 1.8 million Nigeria’s estimated blood need per annum; voluntary blood donation accounts for only 10% of our total blood collection.
The Minister made this revelation during a Press briefing in Abuja to mark 2018 World Blood Donor Day.
“To address current gap as well as strengthen the capacity of the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS), we are in the process of concluding the regularization of appointments of core technical staff that were previously engaged in the programme”, Adewole said.
The Minister also revealed that there is an Executive bill for the establishment of a National Blood Service Commission, which was recently approved by the Federal Executive Council.
The bill, he said, when enacted into law, will serve to consolidate on the gains made over the last 13 years and transform the NBTS in line with international best practices.
The Country Representative of the World Health Organization to Nigeria (WR), Dr Wondimagegnehu Alemu, congratulated and expressed his support to blood donor associations, other nongovernmental organizations and individuals working hard to make safe blood available in various healthcare facilities.
National data indicates that about 165 women die per day from pregnancy and pregnancy related complications in Nigeria. Postpartum hemorrhage is said to be a leading cause of maternal mortality, accounting for about 27% of all maternal deaths in Nigeria.
It is estimated that about 20,000 children die daily in Nigeria with 30% due to causes related to anemia while bleeding from road traffic accidents is a leading cause of death amongst the young and middle aged.
This theme for this year’s Blood Donor Day is ‘Be there for someone else. Give blood. Share life’.