Blood Donor Day: Lagos short of 100,000 units of blood needs

On this year’s World Blood Donors Day, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi has raised the alarm over the shortage of blood in the state, lamenting that out of the 200,000 units of blood needed in the state annually, only 50 percent are met.

Abayomi who spoke at an event to mark this year”s World Blood Donor Day with the theme ”Donating Blood is An Act of Solidarity. Join the Effort and Save Lives” appealed to Lagosiand to become voluntary blood donors.

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”Donors are to give blood a few times a year. At the moment, our minimum target is 200,000 units of blood a year for Lagos State. And we’ve only managed to hit 50 percent which means that there is a big gap.

”We are short of 100,000 units of blood in Lagos State. Now, Lagos State has a population of at least 20 million people. And the blood donation age is between 18 and about 60 or 65. That means that there are at least 15 million people in Lagos who are eligible to become voluntary donors. But we only have about 100,000 people. So we have a long way.

”So one, blood donor can give blood up to five or six times a year. The number of faithful blood donors in Lagos is actually even lower than 100,000. It’s maybe about 14,000 out of 20 million people. So, if you know anybody that is interested or you yourself are interested, just reach out to us because you never know when you might need blood or somebody close to you or a relative, it might be a matter of life and death.”

The Commissioner recalled the recent tragedy, in Owo, Ondo state where tens of people were fatally injured and blood donors were running up and down to get a good supply of blood for the tragedy.

He also recalled that blood was also used during COVID which helped many patients in the Intensive Care Unit to walk out alive.

Abayomi said Lagos now have a special machine that can take a person’s blood, separate the red from the white, put the red back into the body and take the white out like it was done during COVID.

Abayomi said the Lagos State government was committed to Lagos State being self-sufficient in blood and has recently commissioned the new blood transfusion Centre in the Gbagada and also procured a blood mobile.

”We are opening up all our blood transfusion units in different hospitals. We’re doing outreach. We have a blood donor bus. We have all kinds of activities with acquired new equipment. When we give you a blood transfusion, we’re carrying out what we call an organ transplant. It is a live organ, it may be liquid.”

Commending organisations who have supported the state in ensuring safe blood in the state, he said they do not just give any blood, but the right blood and according to individuals blood group.

Speaking, the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Blood Transfusion Services, Dr Bodunrin Osikomaiya disclosed that LBSTS collected 56 percent of the estimated 200,000 units of blood as the minimum needs for Lagos state based on a population of at least 20 million people in the last one year.

She said the organisation has expanded the blood collection and component production centres as well as licenced more blood banks and 3rd party logistics organisations and with the acquisition of a blood mobile.

Stating that they still have so , uchvto do in the awareness campaigns, meeting with the needs of the at least 44 percent of demands for blood as well as in training and research

Osikomaiya said the theme of the year drew attention to the roles that voluntary blood donations pay in saving lives and enhancing solidarity within communities as the act of blood donation contributes to generating social ties and building a united community.

To celebrate the day in Lagos, she said LSBTS organised a school debate on voluntary blood donors are better than replacement and paid donors as week as a youth extravaganza where over 600 individuals gathered together in the spirit of solidarity.