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By Lukman Olabiyi
A health expert and the National Association of Seadogs (NAS) have called on Nigerians to make voluntary blood donation a regular practice in order to save lives and strengthen the nation’s healthcare system.
The appeal was made during the association’s biannual blood donation drive organised by the NAS Lagos Mainland branch (Zanas Deck), at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute-Metta, Lagos.
The exercise, themed, “Not All Heroes Wear Caps: Be a Hero, Donate Blood to Help Save Lives,” drew a significant turnout of members, who volunteered to donate blood.
Addressing participants, the Deputy Director of Medical Laboratory Services at the FMC, Nwabisi Edith, stressed the crucial role of regular blood donation in saving lives.
She explained that thousands of patients, ranging from accident victims and pregnant women with complications to individuals battling life-threatening illnesses, depend daily on donated blood.
Despite the high demand, Edith noted that voluntary blood donation rates in Nigeria remained critically low, resulting in persistent shortages and placing vulnerable patients at risk.
She urged healthy adults to donate blood, at least once every few months, due to numerous benefits to the body system, emphasising that voluntary donors are essential for maintaining a safe and adequate national blood supply.
NAS Lagos Mainland branch president, Babatunde Oluwafemi Adeolu, also underscored the importance of building a culture of voluntary blood donation, saying it would greatly enhance Nigeria’s emergency response capacity and save countless lives.
“Every year, our association mobilises our members and the general public to donate blood twice, in June and November. We are not just here to donate blood but also to raise awareness about the importance of voluntary blood donation,” he said.
Reinforcing the message, the event’s project coordinator, Emmanuel Nwaolise, affirmed the association’s continued commitment to sustaining its blood donation initiatives and supporting healthcare delivery across the country.
