Lagos State commissioner for health, Akin Abayomi says the state requires about 260,000 units of blood annually to meet with the growing blood transfusion demand at health facilities in the state.
Abayomi disclosed this on Sunday during a Zoom Live Feeds organised by the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service (LSBTS) to commemorate this year’s World Blood Donor Day, noted that efforts are being intensified by the state government to meet and surpass this requirement through recruiting and retaining voluntary blood donors.
“To maintain an adequate blood supply, one to two percent of the population needs to become regular blood donors; this is about 260,000 in a growing population of over 26 million in Lagos state. The regular supply of blood is essential as the life span of blood is very short. Each unit of blood donated remains viable for 35days. Thankfully, we are working hard in partnership with the public and private sector, nongovernmental organizations, religious bodies, youth organisations to achieve this target number”, he said.
The theme of the 2020 World Blood Donor Day is “safe blood saves lives, give blood and make the world a healthier place”
The commissioner said that encouraging and promoting voluntary blood donation in a safe and conducive environment was the goal of the state government.
“This year’s theme has come in at a time the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the various phases of lock down and travel restrictions have brought about some challenges to our blood donation drives.
The need for blood transfusions and medications based on blood components has however continued despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the LSBTS voluntary blood donation centers were open all through with an extension in our opening hours”.
He said there was scientific confirmation that the coronavirus is being transmitted by blood transfusion. Rather, he urged for strict safety measures including hand washing sites, use of handsanitisers, use of personal protective equipment as well as maintaining social distancing.
Abayomi explained that making the world a better place was not only about blood collection from donors or its transfusion, but the collection of convalescent plasma from those that have recovered from COVID-19 infections in preparation for an interventional study in the treatment of patients with severe COVID-19 infection.
“Scientifically, there are no confirmed reports of coronavirus being transmitted by blood transfusion anywhere in the world and strict additional safety measures including more hand washing sites, use of handsanitisers, use of personal protective equipment as well as maintaining social distancing is kept are being practised at the blood collection sites for donors and staff”, Abayomi said.
While noting that there is no substitute for blood, the commissioner noted that the lives of hundreds of patients including pregnant women, children with severe anemia, accident victims, patients with cancer and haemoglobinothies are saved by blood transfusion stressing that adequate and timely supply of safe blood is needed to continue helping those people who are in need of blood transfusion.
“We therefore cannot over emphasised the need to ensure availability of blood in our blood banks where patients who require blood transfusion can be readily supplied. While I would like to say thank you to all voluntary blood donors who have made it a duty to give the gift of life – blood, I would also like to use this medium to encourage citizens who are healthy and fit and aged from 18-65 to please give blood.
People in good health who have never given blood, particularly young people, should begin to do so”, Abayomi said.
