The National Blood Service (NBS) has called on the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) to support actively in regular voluntary blood donation exercises to serve as a motivation for students.
A statement from the National Blood Service signed by its Public Relations Officer, Mr Stephen Addai Baah explained that with continued support from CHASS and other allied associations of educational institutions, the NBS could more than double the percentage of voluntary blood donation from the current 36 per cent to an appreciable level.
This could happen as in the case of countries like Zimbabwe and Tanzania where 70 per cent of voluntary blood collection comes from students from second cycle institutions.
Maame Kwaaba Stephens, a brand Ambassador for the NBS, according to the statement, made the call at the 57th Annual Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) in Takoradi.
The conference was on the theme: “Achieving Sustainable quality education in Ghana – the role of stakeholders”.
The brand Ambassador said giving blood provided an excellent opportunity to contribute to the society, the statement said.
She disclosed that, as part of efforts to achieve the National Blood supplies, the Service would soon launch a National Inter-School Blood Donation Competition to motivate and reward schools that had donated more blood on voluntary basis, the statement said.
She, therefore, encouraged all schools to be part of the competition when it is successfully launched.
According to the statement, she commended all school heads who had made blood donation exercises an integral part of their school calendar and appealed to those who were yet to take that leap, to urgently consider allowing blood donation education and collection in their schools.
Ms Stephens noted that there was the need for more of such collaborations as the second cycle schools were the biggest assets of the NBS, whose contribution formed at least 30 per cent of its national blood supplies.
She requested for an opportunity on the PTA Agenda to allow the NBS to regularly engage parents during PTA Meetings, the statement noted.
Mr Kwame Owusu Aduomi, the National Secretary of CHASS, according to the statement welcomed the collaboration with the NBS and called on all member schools to support the initiative.
Other representatives of the NBS were Mr David Ahiadzro, Head of Donor recruitment with the blood Donor Services Department and Mr Emmanuel Essien from the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital, Takoradi.
According to the statement, Ghana is in dire need of blood but had never met its blood requirement, which is just one per cent expected to be given by 280,000 people of the population.
It said in 2018, only 60,000 units of blood was received from voluntary unpaid donors out of a needed 280,000 units.
“Every day, children and mothers in childbirth die as a result of acute blood loss. Cancer patients, accident victims, and other patients, need blood transfusion to survive,” it said.
It explained that for one to donate blood, he or she must be 17 to 60 years, very healthy and weigh 50 kilogrammes and above.
“Blood donation is safe, simple and a civic responsibility for all. You can contact the blood service on 0277501010/ 0302663702 for more information,” the statement added.
