Follow Us on Google
From Tony John Port Harcourt
The Olympus Marino Deck of the National Association of Seadogs (NAS) yesterday, encouraged Nigerians to freely donate blood to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Choba, Rivers State.
NAS carried out the sensitization and free blood donation to the health facility as part of the group’s activities to commemorate the 2025 World Health Day.
About 50 persons were encouraged to freely donate their blood to the hospital’s blood bank.
NAS also known as Pyrates Confraternity also harped on the need for blood donations in order to tackle the challenges of maternal and infant mortality.
Chairman of the medical committee of the Olympus Marino Deck of NAS in Rivers State, Dr. Chinwe Ohaka, told journalists that the blood donation was part of the charity programmes organized by the association to support the indigent persons in the society.
Ohaka expressed, “that our bloods can save lives, especially that of the indigents, helpless individuals, especially pregnant women and children. We believe in the course of charity, protecting the needy, the weak among us.”
He said: “Over the years, we have engaged in several charitable deeds, especially healthwise. The last medical mission is a global brand. We carry out World Mental Day, activities of the Nigeria Independence and others. From time to time, we go to the hospitals.
“We are expecting between 30 to 50 donors today. Our call is that we encourage people to come and donate blood. Blood donation is safe and it actually has health benefits for the person donating blood. It is completely safe.”
On his part, Dr Okite Uche, HOD in charge of the Department of Haematology, University of Port Harcourt, appreciated the group for their impact in encouraging members of the public to freely donate blood to the health facility.
Other News
He expressed: “This programme is very significant to our facility because blood donation is life-saving. There is a deficiency of blood donation generally in the country, and especially in our environment.”
Dr Uche noted a total deficiency of blood in tbe blood bank; he recalled: “A week ago, a woman came and needed eight units of blood and didn’t have people to donate. The people that came around couldn’t qualify to donate. We had to go far and wide; to Military Hospital, other hospitals to get blood to be able to save that woman’s life. Thank God for the doctors that were able to stabilize her till the blood came.
“If we didn’t get from all those places, the woman might have gone, just a few minutes for somebody to bleed to death. So, having blood in the blood bank will help save these people’s lives. Many indigent patients may not have money to afford the blood, so this programme is very important.”
He commended the group and all those who freely donated their blood to save lives, saying “We can’t be grateful enough because this is a selfless thing, they are giving blood to people they don’t even know. They have even promised to continue in times to come.
One of the blood donors, Dan Awah, said, “There are some benefits in donating blood and it has been in me to constantly donate blood to save someone’s life. A lot of people need this blood and it is part of helping the society.”
He added that: “The donation is free and I will feel very bad if the blood donated is sold. I hope that the association will manage to follow up to ensure that the donated blood are distributed freely, just as it was donated.”
