Nigeria needs 2m units of blood annually to cut ‘avoidable deaths’

Nigeria needs an average of 2 million pints of blood annually to cut down the rate of avoidable deaths and morbidities.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Engr Olufunso Adebiyi, stated this Wednesday at the Press Conference to mark the 2023 World Blood Donor Day cerebration in Abuja.

Engr. Adebiyi said out of the 2 million units of blood required as a nation, the National Blood Service Commission collects only 500,000 units, which represent 25% of the expected annual blood donation.

“This leaves us with a shortfall of 1.5 million units of blood which is 75% of our expected annual donation,” he pointed out.

Squeezing blood from stone: The pitfalls of prioritising IGR collection

Squeezing blood from stone: The pitfalls of prioritising IGR collection

Represented by the Director General, of the National Blood Service Commission (NBSC), Dr Amedu Joseph, the permanent secretary said the country’s inability to collect adequate blood leads to avoidable deaths particularly among pregnant women who suffer from postpartum hemorrhage (bleeding after childbirth), new-born babies and children, cancer patients, victims of road traffic accidents and insurgencies.

“As part of this celebration, the NBSC is unveiling a roadmap for implementing it mandate through the establishment of a National Blood Management System (NBMS), an initiative designed to ensure standardization, improve professionalism, optimize operational efficiency, and increase transparency and accountability of blood value chain services in the country, in line with the national health plan.

“It is a technology solution, which connects donor, blood establishments, end user hospitals and other health facilities to ensure safe, efficient and transparent flow of blood and blood products in the delivery of safe and quality blood transfusion services,” he said.

While answering questions from journalists, Dr. Joseph called on the federal government to prioritize the commission as blood is the livewire of every hospital in the country adding that blood is needed to deal with life-threatening cases in the hospitals.

He listed the current challenges of the commission to include power supply to maintain the blood cold chain and funds to execute its programmes.

Also speaking, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo said the United Nations agency would provide the necessary support to strengthen the country’s effort to achieve its target.

Dr. Mulombo added that Nigeria has a very low rate of blood donation adding that effort must be made to involve all the relevant stakeholders including traditional rulers, religious leaders and schools to increase awareness among Nigerians.

Stakeholders at the event were unanimous on the need for more advocacy campaigns and enlightenment in the country to attract more blood donors to bridge the demand gap of 1.5 million pints.