Kehinde Ayanboade,
The National Blood Transfusion Service has call on the Federal Government to support the organization in their financial needs and has also encouraged the masses to cultivate the habit of donating bloods to the needy.
Acting Zonal Director of National Blood Transfusion Service Southwest Zone, Mrs. Adeleke Victoria made this lamentation today June 14 been the World Blood Donation Day while addressing newsmen about the reasons and benefits of Blood Donation and highlighting the difficulties faced by the organization.
She explained that the organization was created in 2005 as an N.G.O sponsored by the United States of America with an agreement of 5 years sponsorship with the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“after the 5 years agreement, Nigeria Government refused to turn up with the scheme, U.S sponsored for another five years and when they realized that Nigeria refused show no concern they back out and stop the sponsorship.
We’re almost through with another lap of 5 years without no support, our vehicles and other facilities have dilapidate due to lack of mentainance and financial problem.
On a normal routine, we do give out money as compensation for blood donation until we have financial constraints.
We collect a token for blood been giving out to carter for our logistics, the blood go through processes before it can be ready for usage, we need materials and reagents.
In NBTS, we use W.H.O standard, that’s why we need to encourage people to pay token so we can be sustained.
We’re pleading to the government to give their corroborative support to this scheme has it’s giving a lot of advantages to a subsidized and affordable Blood Transfusion to our masses”.
She lamented.
She also expressed their profound gratitude to private organizations and individuals for their support and assistance towards the actualization of their goals.
In the same Vein, the Deputy Director of National Blood Transfusion Service Southwest Zone, Pastor Akinbola Idowu while speaking about the benefits of blood donation noted that blood is a neccesary element needed especially by accident victims, injured people, cancer patient, and infant babies.
Akinbola while highlighting the benefits revealed that periodic donation of blood gives the donor the oppurtunity to know his/her health status and makes them physically fit.
“Anybody who wish to donate blood with NBTS will have access to free test of body system.
It is scientifically proved that Blood Donation prevents the donor from having the cancer disease.
When a blood stays in the body for long, it has more content of iron which its excess can cause damage to the heart, kidney, liver and the pancreas.
Another advantage is that blood donation prevents the donor from heart attack or disease, because the pumping of new blood cells will make the heart functions well and the blood will be regulated.
Whoever donate blood is an agent of life saving and will have the feeling of lives he/she has saves through blood donation.” He explained.
He further noted that anybody within the age range of 18 – 65 years is eligible to donate blood atleast once in three month if their blood guage is 50% or above.
He also highlighted the difficulties the organization faces in persuasion of blood donation as Nigerians sees bkood donation as something that should be payed for and wish to sell their blood rather than to give as a service to humanity and life saving.
He also enjoined the government to put in their support especially on issues of Electricity, persuasion, funds, and facilities.
A regular blood donor, Mr. Ojekunle Samson 36, while attending to newsmen explained that he has come again to donate blood to the needy as he used to do every three month, he noted that blood donation is a very good thing as it always prevents the donor from headache and stomach ache. donating blood also gives body freeness and freshness.
