By Lexi Elo
Chairman of the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee (LSBTC), Dr. Adetoun Agbe-Davies has called on residents and individuals alike to support the drive at ensuring that 100 per cent of all blood for transfusion are from voluntary blood donors by donating and encouraging more people to donate blood voluntarily.
Dr. Agbe-Davies, who made this call in Lagos as part of activities to commemorate this year’s World Blood Donor Day, noted that recruitment of voluntary blood donors is major activity of the LSBTC stressing that this is in realisation that safe blood starts with the voluntary donor.
Agbe-Davies, who stated that the theme of this year’s campaign and celebration; “Thank you for saving my life” with the slogan; “Give freely, give often, blood donation matters” focuses on thanking blood donors who save lives everyday through their blood donations and strongly encourages more people, all over the World to donate blood voluntarily.
“The World Blood Donor Day is held annually all over the world on 14th June. This year’s campaign and celebration features stories from people whose lives have been saved through blood donation, so that regular blood donors can continue donation and also motivate other healthy people to join in doing so”, she said
The Chairman stressed the need to meet the year 2020 World Health Organisation (WHO) set goal that 100 per cent of all blood for transfusion should be from voluntary blood donors would go a long way in addressing issues of touting for blood donation as well as the demand for family replacement of blood through family donation for mothers at ante natal booking.
Agbe-Davies explained that Lagos State has been in the forefront of ensuring the safety of blood for transfusion with the enactment of the Law No 10 of June 2004 which established the LSBTC adding that the Committee is empowered by this law to regulate and coordinate blood transfusion service in Lagos State under the supervision of Lagos State Ministry of Health.
She stated that Lagos State is the only State in the country that has a law regulating transfusion service stressing that the vision is to have a State where only safe blood is transfused in all appropriate health facilities while the mission is to provide safe blood through the recruitment of voluntary blood donors, the screening of every unit of blood for Transfusion Transmissible Infections and the efficient processing of blood for all who require it.
“The LSBTC has the major functions of organization of voluntary blood donation campaigns statewide, ensuring that all blood is screened for Transmission Transmissible Infections, preparation of blood products, regulation of transportation of blood and blood products in the State, registration, accreditation, regulation and supervision of the blood transfusion service including the facilities throughout the State, in both the public and the private sectors”, the chairman said.
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She added that committee is also charged with the functions of ensuring the development of quality control and assurance on all blood transfusion matters in the State and training of all involved in blood transfusion matters.
Agbe-Davies stated that those who constitute the State’s voluntary donor base are recruited from Corporate Organizations, Mosques, Churches, Tertiary Institutions, Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Youth Organizations, Religious Organizations, Service Clubs, Non-Governmental Organizations, some foreign embassies and numerous foreign and local communities stressing that many of them become repeat donors as they are happy to help in saving lives.
“A major source of voluntary donors is the Club 25 in our tertiary institutions. These are a group of young persons between the ages of 18 and 25 years who have pledged to donate at least 25 times before they attain the age of 25 years. The Lagos State Chapter was launched in 2009 by the former First Lady of Lagos State, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola”, the Chairman said.
She noted that voluntary donors are processed through the eligibility criteria before donation adding that they must be between the ages of 18 and 65 years and must be physically fit stressing also that voluntary donors are referred for treatment if required and given heamatinics and vitamins.
“Refreshments and souvenirs are given routinely. They are remembered on their birthdays and reminded when due for the next donation. All these have impacted positively on the donors resulting in an increase in repeat voluntary donations”.
Agbe-Davies stated that there are eight screening centres where blood from both private and public facilities are screened and certified with the State logo adding that these centres test every unit of blood for HIV I & II, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Syphilis as mandated by WHO using the recommended screening kits.
She noted that the blood is also tested for compatibility with the blood of those who require transfusion adding that the blood is also separated into various components in such a way that one unit of blood can save up to three lives stressing that Lagos State is the only state in the country that offers this service.
“There are 25 blood banks in our public facilities and 87 private registered blood banks regulated by the Committee. They are required to renew their registration annually. Blood Transport Boxes have been issued to the hospitals and blood banks to enforce regulations on the transportation of blood and blood products while copies of the handbook on Appropriate Clinical Use of Blood for Lagos State have also been circulated for proper guidance”, the Chairman said.
She stated that training workshop for medical laboratory scientists is organised yearly to keep them up to date with current trends adding that in May 2014, the training workshop was organised for the scientists in both public and private sectors.
The chairman noted that intending voluntary blood donors can visit blood donation centres in designated State owned health facilities like the General Hospital, Lagos; Lagos State College of Health Technology, Yaba; Alimosho General Hospital Igando; Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), keja; Gbagada General Hospital; Epe General Hospital; Ifako- Ijaiye General Hospital; Ajeromi General Hospital; Lagos Island Maternity Hospital; Randle General Hospital, Surulere; Ikorodu General Hospital, and Ibeju –Lekki General Hospital.
She added that other blood donation centres are located inside the premises of Apapa General Hospital, Apapa; Massey Street Children’s Hospital; Isolo General Hospital; Onikan General Hospital; Orile Agege General Hospital; Badagry General Hospital; Alimosho General Hospital; Mushin General Hospital; Somolu General Hospital; Agbowa General Hospital; Ijede Health Centre; Harvey Road Health Centre; Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre; Gbaja and Amuwo-Odofin Maternal and Child Care Centres.
She said that intending voluntary blood donors and the general public can also contact the headquarters of the Blood Transfusion Service inside the premises of the General Hospital Lagos or call 08172011755, 07019628700, 08115387437, 08069207914, 09098780089 for further information.
Dr. Agbe-Davies, who made this call in Lagos as part of activities to commemorate this year’s World Blood Donor Day, noted that recruitment of voluntary blood donors is major activity of the LSBTC stressing that this is in realisation that safe blood starts with the voluntary donor.
Agbe-Davies, who stated that the theme of this year’s campaign and celebration; “Thank you for saving my life” with the slogan; “Give freely, give often, blood donation matters” focuses on thanking blood donors who save lives everyday through their blood donations and strongly encourages more people, all over the World to donate blood voluntarily.
“The World Blood Donor Day is held annually all over the world on 14th June. This year’s campaign and celebration features stories from people whose lives have been saved through blood donation, so that regular blood donors can continue donation and also motivate other healthy people to join in doing so”, she said
The Chairman stressed the need to meet the year 2020 World Health Organisation (WHO) set goal that 100 per cent of all blood for transfusion should be from voluntary blood donors would go a long way in addressing issues of touting for blood donation as well as the demand for family replacement of blood through family donation for mothers at ante natal booking.
Agbe-Davies explained that Lagos State has been in the forefront of ensuring the safety of blood for transfusion with the enactment of the Law No 10 of June 2004 which established the LSBTC adding that the Committee is empowered by this law to regulate and coordinate blood transfusion service in Lagos State under the supervision of Lagos State Ministry of Health.
She stated that Lagos State is the only State in the country that has a law regulating transfusion service stressing that the vision is to have a State where only safe blood is transfused in all appropriate health facilities while the mission is to provide safe blood through the recruitment of voluntary blood donors, the screening of every unit of blood for Transfusion Transmissible Infections and the efficient processing of blood for all who require it.
“The LSBTC has the major functions of organization of voluntary blood donation campaigns statewide, ensuring that all blood is screened for Transmission Transmissible Infections, preparation of blood products, regulation of transportation of blood and blood products in the State, registration, accreditation, regulation and supervision of the blood transfusion service including the facilities throughout the State, in both the public and the private sectors”, the chairman said.
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She added that committee is also charged with the functions of ensuring the development of quality control and assurance on all blood transfusion matters in the State and training of all involved in blood transfusion matters.
Agbe-Davies stated that those who constitute the State’s voluntary donor base are recruited from Corporate Organizations, Mosques, Churches, Tertiary Institutions, Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Youth Organizations, Religious Organizations, Service Clubs, Non-Governmental Organizations, some foreign embassies and numerous foreign and local communities stressing that many of them become repeat donors as they are happy to help in saving lives.
“A major source of voluntary donors is the Club 25 in our tertiary institutions. These are a group of young persons between the ages of 18 and 25 years who have pledged to donate at least 25 times before they attain the age of 25 years. The Lagos State Chapter was launched in 2009 by the former First Lady of Lagos State, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola”, the Chairman said.
She noted that voluntary donors are processed through the eligibility criteria before donation adding that they must be between the ages of 18 and 65 years and must be physically fit stressing also that voluntary donors are referred for treatment if required and given heamatinics and vitamins.
“Refreshments and souvenirs are given routinely. They are remembered on their birthdays and reminded when due for the next donation. All these have impacted positively on the donors resulting in an increase in repeat voluntary donations”.
Agbe-Davies stated that there are eight screening centres where blood from both private and public facilities are screened and certified with the State logo adding that these centres test every unit of blood for HIV I & II, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and Syphilis as mandated by WHO using the recommended screening kits.
She noted that the blood is also tested for compatibility with the blood of those who require transfusion adding that the blood is also separated into various components in such a way that one unit of blood can save up to three lives stressing that Lagos State is the only state in the country that offers this service.
“There are 25 blood banks in our public facilities and 87 private registered blood banks regulated by the Committee. They are required to renew their registration annually. Blood Transport Boxes have been issued to the hospitals and blood banks to enforce regulations on the transportation of blood and blood products while copies of the handbook on Appropriate Clinical Use of Blood for Lagos State have also been circulated for proper guidance”, the Chairman said.
She stated that training workshop for medical laboratory scientists is organised yearly to keep them up to date with current trends adding that in May 2014, the training workshop was organised for the scientists in both public and private sectors.
The chairman noted that intending voluntary blood donors can visit blood donation centres in designated State owned health facilities like the General Hospital, Lagos; Lagos State College of Health Technology, Yaba; Alimosho General Hospital Igando; Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), keja; Gbagada General Hospital; Epe General Hospital; Ifako- Ijaiye General Hospital; Ajeromi General Hospital; Lagos Island Maternity Hospital; Randle General Hospital, Surulere; Ikorodu General Hospital, and Ibeju –Lekki General Hospital.
She added that other blood donation centres are located inside the premises of Apapa General Hospital, Apapa; Massey Street Children’s Hospital; Isolo General Hospital; Onikan General Hospital; Orile Agege General Hospital; Badagry General Hospital; Alimosho General Hospital; Mushin General Hospital; Somolu General Hospital; Agbowa General Hospital; Ijede Health Centre; Harvey Road Health Centre; Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre; Gbaja and Amuwo-Odofin Maternal and Child Care Centres.
She said that intending voluntary blood donors and the general public can also contact the headquarters of the Blood Transfusion Service inside the premises of the General Hospital Lagos or call 08172011755, 07019628700, 08115387437, 08069207914, 09098780089 for further information.
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