By Stanley Senya/Emmanuel Mensah
Accra, Jan. 26, GNA – Maame K Stephens, Brand Ambassador for the National Blood Service has called on Catholics and their affiliates to participate in blood donation exercises.
Maame who doubles as the Director of Kaysens Group, and the Founder of Kwaaba Foundation said this was crucial to help save more lives.
A statement copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) to mark the launch of the 2023 National Catholic Blood Donation Campaign has said.
It said six out of the 20 dioceses donated blood during the 2019 Catholic Blood Donation campaign, where a total of 2,314 units was collected.
The participants included Accra Archdiocese, Techiman Diocese, Navrongo/Bolgatanga Diocese, Tamale Archdiocese, Cape Coast Archdiocese and Sunyani Diocese.
Maame K Stephens praised the Rev Father Emmanuel Obeng Cudjoe and Fr. Patrick Quarcoopome for their work on the National Catholic Blood Donation Committee, which was founded in 2019 with the aim of organizing blood-related issues in the Catholic Church.
She urged the church to consider the welfare of others as the theme for this year’s international Blood Donation was, “Giving Blood is an Act of Solidarity. Join the effort and save lives.”
She said the country had never met its blood requirement which was just one percent of the Ghanaian population and Catholics could change that narrative.
She said Ghana needed 300,000 units, but was getting about 160,000 of which 60,000 was voluntary, the rest (100,000) was replacement.
She cautioned that not everyone could donate blood; giving ages between 17 and 60, who must not be pregnant, using any drugs or medications, sickle cell diabetic, hypertensive, asthmatic, HIV positive, or suffering from any other medical condition.
She also expressed gratitude on behalf of the National Blood Service Ghana and the patients in the hospital for the support in donating blood to save their lives.
GNA.