Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has hailed voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their service and determination to save lives by freely giving blood to ensure sufficient and safe supply of blood to patients suffering from life-threatening medical conditions and other unprecedented health crises.
Obaseki gave the commendation in commemoration of this year’s World Blood Donor Day, with the theme; “Give blood and keep the world beating”, marked by the World Health Organisation (WHO), every June 14, across the globe.
The governor, who urged for increased collaboration among global stakeholders, to create sustained awareness on the importance of blood donation, said, the actions of the donors is essential to the sustenance of humankind.
Obaseki noted, “Today, being the World Blood Donor Day, is a great opportunity to appreciate and commend all those who freely donate blood regularly to save millions of lives globally and improve the health of others, as well as to encourage more people, especially the youth, to come forward and donate blood regularly to guarantee stable and safe blood supply to hospitals and blood banks.
“It is also necessary to use this day to advocate increased collaboration among global stakeholders, to create wider public awareness of the need for regular and unpaid blood donation. This is imperative because access to blood and blood components is an essential service that must be guaranteed if we are to make progress toward universal access to health and universal health coverage.”
He however reassured that ongoing reforms in the Edo health sector, through the Edo Health Improvement Programme (Edo-HIP), would provide mechanisms to ensure patients in rural areas have access to safe blood.
According to the WHO, “World Blood Donor Day aims to raise global awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products for transfusion and of the critical contribution voluntary, unpaid blood donors make to national health systems.
“Safe blood and blood products and their transfusion are a critical aspect of care and public health. They save millions of lives and improve the health and quality of life of many patients every day. 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. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, despite limited mobility and other challenges, blood donors in many countries have continued to donate blood and plasma to patients who need transfusion.”
