AS countries commemorate the World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) Friday, the Lagos State Government and doctors in the country have condemned commercial blood donation in the country, as against Voluntary Non-Remunerated Blood Donation (VNRBD) that is approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

 

At separate fora Thursday, the Lagos government and doctors, under the aegis of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), said though voluntary donation was still low in Nigeria, accounting for about eight per cent, donation for commercial purpose portends greater danger to provision of effective and efficient blood transfusion system in the country.

 

In another development, the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD) yesterday called for the speedy passage of the health bill to lay a solid foundation for equitable access to qualitative healthcare in the country.

 

The association also lamented what they described as grossly inadequate funding of the “Residency Training Programme” in the 2013 budgetary allocation, accusing the Federal Government of not taking their welfare and training seriously, and which is not in the best interest of the country’s healthcare delivery system.

 

NARD President, Dr. Ismail Akinlade Lawal, told a press conference in Sagamu, Ogun State, that most of the facilities they use for training were obsolete and no longer ideal for training.

 

Akinlade also condemned the incessant “attacks and harassments” of his members in the course of their duties in their various hospitals and appealed to government at all levels to initiate moves towards finding lasting solution to it.

 

Lagos Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, told reporters at an event to commemorate WBDD yesterday that the state joined the rest of the world in condemning blood donation for non-altruistic reasons and would, if notified, immediately clamp down on any centre that perpetrates such act in Lagos.

 

He explained that it has been established that blood from voluntary donors is the best, because donors come forward to donate only for altruistic reasons. He added: “The paid donor is likely to involve in other activities for money as well and will most likely not be leading a healthy lifestyle.”

 

This year’s commemoration is tagged, “Give the Gift of Life: Donate Blood,” which highlights the paramount importance of every blood donated and the vital role being played by all citizens who donate voluntarily.

 

Idris added that in recognition of the critical issues of blood donation and its transfusion, the state government established the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee (LSBTC) by law in 2004, created 20 blood donation centres for voluntary donors in the state’s health facilities and 100 blood banks registered with the committee.

 

He continued: “The largest users of blood each year is the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G). This is because the major cause of maternal mortality is haemorrhage (bleeding). Safe blood therefore needs to be available in adequate quantity for obstetric emergencies for the reduction of maternal mortality in the state.

 

Meanwhile, NMA President, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, said that blood transfusion is the life saving procedure without which complex medical and surgical procedures, maternal and child healthcare activities and trauma care would not produce expected outcomes.

 

“Therefore, every eligible adult is encouraged to make blood donation a habit and an obligation to the survival of the human race. The NMA, however, joins other voices of conscience to condemn all attempts at commercialising blood donation and calls on all relevant stakeholders to discourage this trend.”