Our stock is currently down - National Blood Service

Head of the Donor Care Unit of the National Blood Service, Marian Davies has disclosed that the state of the Blood Bank currently in terms of stock is low, largely because for some time now, there have not been a lot of voluntary donors going to the Blood Service to give blood.

Speaking on the GTV Breakfast Show, Madam Davies explained how worrisome this is, pointing out that unavailability of the required blood can lead to complications in times of blood donation emergencies as some patients suffer health conditions which require immediate blood transfusion for survival.

According to her, some women in labour lose a lot of blood and if they do not get access to transfusion on time, they may end up getting acute kidney injury leading to kidney failure.

“The lives of a lot of patients can be saved when there is the availability of blood at every point in time,” she stated.

Adding to this, David Ahiadzro who is also the Head of Donor Recruitment explained that, the Blood Bank does not even have half of the total number of units needed annually.

“Per our requirements, we need 300,000 units annually for us to say that our stocks are okay, but we do not even have half of that figure as it stands.”, he said.

He further explained that the shelf life of blood donated is very limited, having only 35 days hence it is important for them to always make sure that blood is donated constantly to help patients when needed. He urged the public to get involved in the blood donation service to help others, noting that “we cannot manufacture blood anywhere and it only takes an individual to make blood available for the use of others who need it.”

National Blood Donor Day is observed on 28th November of every year and it campaigns to highlight the need for blood while helping to keep the Blood Bank and other hospitals stocked.