•Says 37 per cent of population are eligible donors
Lagos State is to increase number of donated blood, currently put at over 115,000 to 200,000 units to meet its yearly requirement and World Health Organisation (WHO) benchmark.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, while reviewing, yesterday, activities lined up by Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service (LSBTS) to mark the 2023 World Blood Donor Day holding on June 14, noted said the service had screened available blood in the state.
In a statement signed by Director, Public Affairs in the ministry, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, the permanent secretary said LSBTS also produces blood components, including Fresh Frozen Plasma, Cryoprecipitates and Platelet Concentrates from 90 per cent of voluntarily donated blood, besides decentralisation of storage for accessibility.
His words: “LSBTS has adopted a hybrid of decentralised blood services at its blood collection, distribution, screening and certification units, with a highly centralised post-collection blood processing, specifically component production, as well as regulatory, monitoring and enforcement activities.
“Since its establishment in June 2004, LSBTS has increased the availability of safe blood, curbed menace of quackery and improved the quality of blood provided by the state. Facilitated by Mr. Governor, there has been an increase in the number of voluntary blood donation centres in public and private health facilities, with accompanied strengthening of the haemovigilance programme, according to international and best practices to ensure safe blood processes.”
Ogboye said LSBTS has commenced complete automation of screening and certification of blood for transfusion, transmissible infections, implementation of the organisation’s Blood Inventory Management System and extended phenotyping of blood group antigens to reduce incidence of adverse happenings during transfusion.
On the activities to commemorate the global event, LSBTS Executive Secretary (ES), Dr. Biodun Osikomaiya, said the ministry, through his agency, was holding a three-day programme, comprising youth extravaganza, facility tour by students of public secondary schools and symposium/scientific conference.
She explained that the extravaganza, themed “Count Me In: Each 1, Reach 5,” held at Red Cross Society Hall, Ebute- Metta last Saturday, adding the students would undertake tour of LSBTS facilities sited within premises of Gbagada Genera lHospital on Thursday, June 8.
Osikomaiya explained that the symposium and scientific conference to round off the celebration holds on Wednesday, June 14, at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium at Alausa, Ikeja.
“The slogan for the Y2023 WBDD campaign is ‘Give Blood, Give Plasma, Share Life, Share Often’. The access to a secure blood and blood component supply, based on voluntary donation is vital to all patients, including many requiring emergency need and life-long blood transfusions for conditions such as post-natal hemorrhage, accident victims, sickle-cell anaemia and haemophilia, ” she added.
Stressing the huge demand for blood and need for voluntary blood donation, the ES said about 37 per cent of the population are eligible and clinically fit to donate blood, noting that someone is always in need of blood every two seconds.
She advised eligible citizens willing to donate blood to walk into any of LSBTS dedicated donation centres at General Hospital, Lagos, General Hospital, Gbagada or the voluntary blood donation facility at the Accident and Emergency Centre located at the old Toll Gate and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja to perform the exercise.
