Worried by the chronic blood shortage and insufficient blood banks in hospitals across the state, members of the State chapter of the Association of Online Media Practitioners of Nigeria, OMPAN, have made voluntary blood donation to the National Blood transfusion service.
The exercise which took place at the Conference Hall of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ Edo state council in Benin City was the highpoint of the inauguration of the Edo state chapter of OMPAN.
Speaking during the exercise, the state chairman of OMPAN, Don Ofure Osehobo who is a blogger and online media practitioner said blood donation should be a civic duty because it helps to save lives.
He added that Edo OMPAN members volunteered to donate free blood to mark the formal inauguration of the chapter as a way of showing concern for the vulnerable, the poor and underprivileged in the state.
“We feel concerned about shortage of blood in our health facilities and especially at this time when economic hardship is forcing many to even sell blood. We see the donations as our social responsibility”.
He added that the growing need for blood from a broad range of patients and accident victims makes, “Blood donation is an important civic duty and we should see it as such”.
“People die every day in our hospitals due to loss of blood and blood shortage in blood banks. This is needless loss of lives, when we can help just by donating blood and playing our part as citizens. It is a good cause and we should all identify with it.”
Performing the inauguration, the OMPAN Deputy National President for the south – south, Mr Emma Enebeli said all members must have a registered website which are not based on Google as a major means of income.
He advised members to register their business with the Corporate affairs commission, to avoid being taken as jokers as the online media operations is a very serious business.
” if you really want to operate fully online, set up a website for which you pay and not just a blog. Invest in the website so that you can be happy and satisfied with what you post”.
On his part, Dr Daniel Oshiale, the Zonal Coordinator, South – south, National Blood Transfusion Service, NBTS said voluntary blood donation is the safest means of obtaining safe blood, and that, when carried out appropriately, had potential to save lives.
“The blood banking system in Nigeria is still poorly developed as a number of centers depend on paid donors whose hematological and infectious status may not determined often times prior to blood donations,” he noted.
He appreciated the OMPAN for helping the NBTS to do its job adding that whereas the blood was being sold at very High prices like N30,000 which is not good for the poor, NBTS was making it available for a token.#
