The Lagos State government has engaged stakeholders to aggressively sensitise the residents and grassroots members on the need to voluntarily donate blood.
The Executive Secretary, Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service Dr. Bodunrin Oshikomaiya,emphasized the need to
interact with civil society organizations (CSOs) so to build acceptability among the donors and residents.
She spoke at an interactive session on the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service Civil Society Stakeholders’ Engagement, themed: “Promoting A Sustainable Blood Safety System To Safe Blood,” held in Lagos on Thursday
She explained that the event gave the state government the opportunity to interface with stakeholders to create awareness about what the government is doing in such a way that the people will understand it.
She said:“We want them to understand that we have the potential to help them to increase advocacy awareness on blood donation.”
She appealed to Lagos residents to voluntarily donate blood.
She added: “We urge every resident of the state to donate blood voluntarily. If they have to transfuse any blood, they should ensure that the blood is safe.We will continue to encourage others to donate blood in order to save the lives of other residents”.
Speaking on the benefits of blood donation, Oshikomaiya said the donor has an opportunity to run his own test .
“You know your genotype, blood pressure, blood group. You also know your viral status, it is very necessary that you donate blood. Voluntary blood donors have very lean chances of cancer, high blood pressure.”
According to Oshikomaiya: “Residents can donate blood at any of our 27 general hospitals or at any of the three Lagos State Blood Transfusion centres. You can also donate blood in any of the private blood banks, which are licensed to donate blood. Lagos has 121 licences blood banks. Once you get there, you will see the Lagos State logo in any of the centres”.
On the state government’s collaboration with the civil society organsiations, she said the CSOs help to do a lot of advocacy on blood donation.
” They reach out to members of the community, they reach out to the grassroots, to let them know that it is good to donate blood, and the advantages of blood donation. They also give them feedback from the community for service improvement. They have a direct contact with people that receive blood. They give us a feedback on what is happening and this will also help us in service improvement.”,she added
Head of Monitoring and Enforcement, Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service, Dr. Alori Samuel, spoke on the measure to access quality blood and avoid blood mismanagement.
She said: “Blood is collected from voluntary donors. This is considered to be one of the safest. After collection, it is screen for transfusion to the receiver. Hepatitis A, B, HIV, syphilis, among others. It is thereafter stored in blood bank to be accessed as at when due. When it is needed, people come to the blood bank, blood is released for transfusion and we also monitor them to ensure that the blood is safe.”
He advised residents to be involved in the act of voluntary blood donation.
