By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko, Ibadan
To mark Blood Donor Day, a Hematologist, Dr Oladapo Aworanti, has called on Nigerians to desist from getting blood units from unreliable and unrecognised sources to avoid using contaminated blood.
Aworanti gave the advice on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of celebrations marking National Blood Donor Day (NBDD) in Ibadan.
Aworanti, also the South-West Director of the National Blood Service Commission (NBSC), said the best blood could only be procured from recognised facilities such as the NBSC.
He also advised people to desist from selling their blood for money, adding that blood should be donated voluntarily.
Commenting on the theme, ‘Blood Donation, Real Act of Humanity’, Aworanti urged Nigerians to imbibe the culture of voluntary donation of blood to save lives.
“Let’s see blood donation as a responsibility to our next neighbour. We don’t want a situation where there will be a problem and there won’t be blood to save the person, especially during the yuletide.
“People should try to donate blood because if we don’t have any blood in the bank, we won’t be able to attend to victims who need blood.
“The number of donors has been poor, so we urge Nigerians to imbibe the culture as there’s no harm to it once one is fit to do it,” he said.
He also emphasised that the NBSC partnered the NYSC, schools, churches and mosques to create awareness and sensitise people, including children, on the importance of blood donation.
Aworanti further called on all stakeholders, especially the media, to join in spreading the news on the importance of voluntary blood donation to save lives.
A Medical Lab Scientist, Mrs Kehinde Bello, remarked that it’s important for people to form the habit of donating blood because it can not be produced anywhere as only humans can produce blood.
“People need it to survive anytime so we shouldn’t wait until only on NBDD. Anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 is eligible to donate.
“Males can donate at least four times in a year and the women thrice,” she said.
Also, another Lab Scientist, Mrs Naomi Adeluwoye, emphasised that proper check up should be made on potential donor before he or she engages in it.
“We will check the weight of the person, haemoglobin, blood pressure and other necessary things before the donation.
“This is to enable our counselor to check whether the donor is fit or not, and if not, proper advice will be given to the person on what to do.”
She said “Blood Donation also has several benefits, including helping the donor to know his/her health status,” warning that blood not donated after 120 days will find another way to destroy itself.”
She also said there’s a shelf life for blood that after 120 days, it will regenerate.
“So it’s always best to donate it for proper blood pumping in the body and for new ones to come,” Adeluwoye said. (NAN)
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