By Dorothy Frances Ward
Kumasi, June 16, GNA –The public have been urged to voluntarily donate blood to adequately stock the blood bank of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, to help effectively offer blood supplies for emergency and routine healthcare services.
The appeal comes on the heels of the 2026 celebration of the World Blood Donor Day, which aims at supporting accident victims, mothers experiencing childbirth complications, patients undergoing surgeries, cancer patients, and individuals living with sickle cell disease.
Mr. Christian Oppong-Mensah, Blood Donor Recruiter at KATH Blood Bank, speaking to Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview Kumasi, indicated that, KATH as a referral facility required substantial amount of blood daily to meet patient needs.
He said that blood could not be manufactured artificially, making voluntary blood donation the only reliable source for replenishing blood stocks.
He noted that maintaining a healthy blood reserve was critical for responding to emergencies and ensuring uninterrupted healthcare delivery.
He added that blood shortages often become more pronounced during holiday periods, school vacations, and public health emergencies when donation rates declined.
Such shortages, he said could delay critical medical procedures and place the lives of vulnerable patients at risk.
He said trauma cases resulting from road traffic accidents remain among the leading causes of emergency blood transfusions, adding that, with road crashes continuing to pose a major public health concern, availability of blood was essential to improving survival rates and reducing preventable deaths.
Mr Oppong-Mensah noted that the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases and chronic health conditions also required regular blood transfusions.
Patients living with sickle cell disease, for instance, frequently depend on blood donations to manage severe complications and maintain their quality of life.
The KATH blood bank, he said had therefore, intensified public education campaigns to dispel misconceptions surrounding blood donation during the world blood donor days which falls on June 14, each year.
The day is marked to honor and recognize voluntary blood donors and create awareness for the public to donate blood.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “One drop of humanity: Give blood, save lives.”
Mr Oppong-Mensah said students from some Senior High Schools were made to voluntarily donate blood to replenish the blood bank.
According to him, the public continued to hold fears and misconceptions about the process, despite medical evidence showing that blood donation was safe and does not pose health risks to eligible donors.
He, therefore, assured prospective donors that all donated blood undergoes rigorous screening and testing to ensure its safety before transfusion.
He added that strict infection prevention and control measures are observed throughout the donation process.
He also encouraged the youth to cultivate a culture of regular blood donation, describing them as an important source of sustainable blood supply.
Educational institutions have been identified as key partners in promoting awareness and mobilising voluntary donors.
He called on corporate organisations, religious bodies, professional associations, and community groups to organise periodic blood donation exercises as part of their social responsibility initiatives.
Such collective efforts would significantly strengthen the national blood supply system.
GNA
Edited by Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/Linda Asante Agyei
Reporter: France Dorothy Ward