By Albert Futukpor
Tamale, Feb 17, GNA – Residents in the Tamale Metropolis turned out in large numbers to donate blood as part of the MTN Ghana Foundation’s “Save a Life” campaign to donate blood to replenish the country’s blood bank.
The exercise, which was held simultaneously at Vittin Senior High School (SHS), Tamale SHS, Business SHS, and Tamale Campus of the University for Development Studies, saw staff of MTN Ghana, MTN Ghana trade partners and some members of the public take their turns to donate blood.
All the blood donors underwent basic health check and counselling to ensure that they were fit to donate blood.
Mr Collins Agyei, Area Sales Manager, Northern Regions, MTN Ghana, who spoke to the media about the exercise in Tamale, expressed MTN Ghana’s commitment to improving health care delivery in the country.
The “Save a Life” campaign was initiated in 2011 to give staff of MTN, its trade partners and the public the opportunity to show love on Valentine’s Day (February 14) by donating a unit of blood to help save lives.
However, it was suspended within the past two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Agyei said the campaign had helped to revive voluntary blood donation among staff of MTN and members of the public helping to save lives.
He added that “We believe this has resulted in reduction in maternal mortality since the loss of blood is one of the leading causes of maternal deaths.”
He thanked all blood donors for their life-saving gesture, saying “We believe this will continue to provide a regular source of blood needed at hospitals and health facilities.”
According to MTN Ghana Foundation over 20,000 pints of blood had been collected since the inception of the campaign in 2011.
The “Save a Life” campaign has earned the MTN Ghana Foundation some recognition, including the Highest Corporate Blood Donor in 2013, the Second Highest Corporate Donor in 2014 and one of the Highest Corporate Donors in 2015.
GNA/