FMC Yola Marks World Blood Donor Day, With 92 Donors

• 2021 slogan: “Give Blood And Keep The World Beating”.
• Blood Is Free, Not For Sale In FMC Yola
• Only 5% of the blood donation is free, 60% is paid, while 35% donated by patient relatives

World Blood Donor Day is celebrated every year on June 14 to promote
awareness regarding need for safe blood and to appreciate the
contribution of voluntary blood donors in saving lives.

The need for blood is universal but access to blood for all those who need it is not.

‘Blood
shortages are particularly acute in developing countries. To ensure
that everyone who needs safe blood has access to it, all countries need
voluntary, unpaid donors who give blood regularly, ‘said the World
Health Organization, while announcing the World Blood Donor Day 2021.

Joining
the popular call, Federal Medical Centre, FMC Yola, Adamawa state,
northeast Nigeria has celebrated the World Blood Donor Day today,
Tuesday, June I5, because June 14 was a public holiday, marking
Nigeria’s Democracy Day.

There are however, some donors who were at the hospital yesterday, believing that FMC Yola operates a 24-hour service.

Speaking,
the Resident Haematologist Dr Chavala Nathan Gundiri revealed that
there is the need for aggressive advocacy, with a view to making the
citizenry key into the exercise as a social responsibility in saving
lives, explaining, as statistics has shown, it is only 5% of the blood
donation that is free, 60% is paid, while 35% of the donation is done by
patient relatives. There is the need therefore, the changed narrative.

According
to the hematologist, the safest donors are the voluntary, unpaid and
regular blood donors, people with no risky behaviour and people who meet
donation criteria, which include but not restricted to being healthy,
safe blood, falling between the ages of 18 to 65 years, having 50kg and
above weight, having a PCV 36 to 45 for female and 40 to 52 for male and
leading a sexually safe lifestyle.

The hematologist also
identified those who are not to donate blood to include the medically
unfit, pregnant and breastfeeding women, those on medication and those
with sickle cell and venereal diseases.

According to the
hematologist, the beneficiaries of the donated blood are those with
severe anaemia and bleeding in pregnancy and childbirth, accident
victims, patients undergoing surgery and cancer, AIDs and sickle cell
patients.  

The hematologist listed some of the health benefits
of blood donation to include  free medical screening in the hospital and
listed in the donor register to be able to benefit from the donation
should the need arises.

• Reduce stress
• Improve emotional well-being and physical health
• Get rid of negative feelings
• Provide a sense of belonging and reduce isolation

Dr
Jasini James, Consultant Hematologist is the head of Haematology
Department, FMC Yola. He debunked the insinuation that the blood donated
would be diverted for sale, where he boldly said that FMC Yola does not
sell blood, she only charges for screening and investigation.

The
consultant haematologist said the turnout was impressive.

‘However, donors can still come forward even
after today. Our blood Bank is adequate, that is to say that we have
standard blood storage facility’.

The Haematologist has assured that the blood would be put to good use, directed at the purpose for which the donation was made.

Dr.
James has commended the medical director FMC Yola, Prof Auwal Muhammad
Abubakar for the maximum support and cooperation and the management and
entire members of staff of the hospital who participated in the
exercise.

James also thanked the donors for the free donation and
the members of the press for the free media coverage of the exercise as
a corporate social responsibility.

NEON Report