By Patrick Obeng
Accra, June 19, GNA – Reverend Dr. Mrs. Vivian Balasu-Addo, Synod Moderator of the Meridian Presbytery of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana has called on Ghanaians to make blood donation their civic responsibility to save more lives to contribute to national development.
She said issues regarding blood were a matter of life and death and that the citizenry should take blood donation seriously and voluntarily donate blood to save lives.
Rev. Dr. Mrs. Balasu-Addo made the call in Accra when the Christian Youth Builders of the Meridian Presbytery of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana organized blood donation exercise to stock the blood bank of 37 Military Hospital and the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
The blood donation exercise was on the theme “Caring for God’s Creation; Donating Blood to Rejuvenate Lives.”
Rev. Dr. Mrs. Balasu-Addo said the bank was required to be stocked every 35 days, saying if afterwards the blood had not been used it must be disposed of for fresh blood to be stocked.
The Synod Moderator said people who had gone through accident cases and pregnant women in labour needed blood transfusion would testify that it was difficult and disturbing when they needed such services.
Rev. Dr. Mrs. Balasu-Addo said ‘blood donation does not destroy your health system, but rather you get the opportunity to scrutinize your blood status such as HIV, Hepatitis ‘B’ and diabetes’.
She commended the youth for their contribution towards saving lives in the country and called on all other benevolent organizations to donate blood frequently.
Dr Justice Williams, a Lecturer of the Akenten-Appiah Menkah University of Skills Training and Development who chaired the function called on Ghanaians to develop the culture of voluntary blood donation to guarantee timely access to safe blood and blood products and help save lives.
He commended the good work of voluntary donors who with no remuneration but are always ready and available to donate blood to help save other lives.
Reverend Wilson Domasi, Presbytery Clerk of the Meridian Presbytery, attributed the shortage of blood supplies to the inability of many people to voluntarily donate, adding that some people preferred to wait until their relatives were in urgent need of blood before they donate.
He called on the National Blood Service to redouble their efforts and adopt innovative measures to encourage the public, including corporate entities to regularly undertake voluntary blood donation exercise.
GNA