B/A NHIA Staff Undertake Blood Donation Campaign To Support National Blood Bank

The Brong-Ahafo Regional Office of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) with support from the Brong-Ahafo Regional Hospital and the National Blood Bank Service, has embarked on a blood donation campaign to encourage people to voluntarily donate blood.

The blood donation exercise, organised at the weekend in Sunyani, saw over 100 people, including staff and the general public, donating blood to augment the blood stock in the various blood banks across the country.

The public was also educated about the harmless and painless process of donating blood and safety measures that should be taken when donating blood.

Mr. George Oppong Danquah, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Operations Manager of the NHIA explained that the campaign form part of the Authority's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to give back to society.

He said the NHIA has declared 1st July as the annual Blood Donation Day and it is observed at all regional capitals across the country.

Mr. Oppong Danquah called on Ghanaians to shun the negative perception about donating blood and voluntarily, and rather donate blood at regular intervals to help save lives and not only when their loved ones need it.

“You never know when you or your relatives will be in need of blood and you might not be readily available to donate, so I will advise that when we can, we should donate blood”, Mr. Oppong Danquah added.

Mr. Caniwu Abdulai, the Head of the Brong-Ahafo Regional Hospital Blood Bank, said blood supply is a major problem at the Hospital as there is always a gap to fill.

He said such donation programmes must to be organised regularly, with support from other institutions, to ensure the availability of blood in the hospitals.

Mr. Abdulai said the Hospital requires at least 20 pints a day for emergency cases, especially for pregnant women and accident victims.

He also explained why there is the need to always have blood in the blood banks as it could save the lives of accident victims and pregnant women who came to the hospitals with severe complications.

“We ask patients who we give out donated blood to bring a donor to replace the donated blood so that, there will not be any shortage but unfortunately some people do not comply, which often leads to shortage of blood”, Mr. Abdulai bemoaned.

He expressed appreciation to Brong-Ahafo Regional Office of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and reiterated the call on the public to avail themselves for such exercises to donate and support health facilities.