NBSC targets one million blood donors
The National Blood Service Commission, (NBSC) has flagged off a sensitization of its core mandate in Abuja as part of its commitment to coordinate, regulate and ensure safe provision of quality blood and blood products in Nigeria.
The commission whose activities include the recruitment and awareness of healthy members of the public for voluntary blood donations through enlightenment, media campaigns and blood donation drives, is an offshoot of the defunct National Blood Transfusion service.
The acting Director General of the NBSC, Dr. Omale Joseph Amedu, stated the significance of safe and quality blood and blood products.
“There are significant variations in the availability, quality, safety and use of blood components provided in both public and private health care establishments.”
Dr. Amedu called on healthy Nigerians to cultivate the habit of voluntary blood donation to save lives of not just the sick in need of blood but accident victims many of whom die due to scarcity of blood pints in hospitals across the land.
The NBSC boss said, “We are targeting one million Nigerian regular unpaid blood donors, 100 per cent voluntary non-remunerated blood donors, increased innovation and use of technology as well as reduce adverse blood transfusion reactions and events.”
Blood establishments in the country must be regulated because of the need to ensure that the quality of blood collected, screened and transfused to patients is optimal and unlikely to be a source of harm.
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Vanguard