By Samira Larbie, GNA
Accra, July 31, GNA – The Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR) has organised a simultaneous blood donation exercise across three senior high schools in Accra as part of its 20th anniversary activities.
The exercise focused on strengthening Ghana’s blood supply and supporting efforts to reduce preventable maternal deaths.
Describing it as its flagship anniversary activity, the Organisation sought to mobilise students to voluntarily donate blood while raising awareness of the critical role of safe and adequate blood in emergency healthcare.
The exercise simultaneously took place at St. Margaret Mary Senior High School at Dansoman, Accra Technical Training Centre (ATTC) at Adabraka, and the Accra Wesley Girls’ High School at Kaneshie.
Nana Nyarko Konadu, the Programme Officer for Budget and Policy Advocacy, ARHR, told the media that the campaign was inspired by the urgent need to address shortages in the country’s blood supply, particularly for emergency obstetric care, trauma cases, surgeries and the treatment of children with severe anaemia.
She noted that severe bleeding, also known as postpartum haemorrhage, remained the leading direct cause of maternal deaths worldwide and continued to contribute significantly to maternal mortality in Ghana.
“Timely access to safe blood can make the difference between life and death for women experiencing childbirth complications,” she noted.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 287,000 women died from pregnancy- and childbirth-related causes globally in 2020, with the overwhelming majority of those deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries.
In Ghana, the maternal mortality ratio is estimated at about 263 deaths per 100,000 live births, while postpartum haemorrhage accounts for a substantial proportion of maternal deaths recorded in health facilities.
Nana Nyarko said Ghana continued to experience periodic shortages in blood supplies despite growing demand for blood transfusions.
The National Blood Service estimates that the country requires approximately 300,000 units of blood annually; however, collections frequently fell below the national requirement, affecting the delivery of life-saving healthcare services, she said.
The blood donation campaign, therefore, reflected the commitment to translating two decades of advocacy for improved health rights into practical interventions that directly saved lives, Nana Nyarko said.
She was hopeful that the exercise would encourage a culture of voluntary blood donation among young people while contributing to a stronger national blood reserve, capable of meeting emergency health needs.
Firdaus Abubakar, a Student of St Margaret Mary Senior High School, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, expressed appreciation to the ARHR for the opportunity to donate blood for the first time.
She recounted how the shortage of blood nearly caused the life of her little brother, hence the motivation to donate to help save lives.
Eugene Weapea Atamale, a student from the same school, said he donated blood voluntarily to motivate other young men to also do same.
The blood donation exercise forms part of activities commemorating ARHR’s 20 years of advancing health rights and advocating equitable access to quality healthcare in Ghana.
The Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights is a membership-based Ghanaian non-governmental organisation (NGO), established in 2004, promoting a rights-based approach to reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health through advocacy, research, and capacity building.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Reporter: Samira Larbie