The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP) have appealed to the Lagos State Government to develop mechanisms for reducing the unit cost of blood in the state.
The Lagos Chairman of NMA and ANPMP, Dr Babajide Saheed and Dr Jonathan Esegine, made the appeal in an interviews with the Newsmen.
A circular dated Nov. 15, 2024, conveyed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s approval for an increase in the cost of blood screening for transfusion transmissible infections by private healthcare facilities.
The circular signed by Mrs Bukola Odoe, Special Adviser, to the Governor on Public-Private Partnership directed “an increase in the cost of screening a pint of blood from N5,000 to N15,000 for the three existing private blood screening partners (Darlez, Banner & Solawunmi).”
The circular further directed the Ministry of Health and the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service (LSBTS) to ensure that the new price regime takes effect on Nov. 18, 2024.
Consequently, members of the Blood Bank Society of Nigeria (BBSN), Lagos State Branch, held an online general meeting on Nov. 17, 2024, during which they adjusted the prices for the issuance of blood to their customers.
According to them, “the action was triggered by the state government’s sudden increase in the blood screening fee.”
Thereafter, BBSN pricing for the issuance of blood saw a unit of positive blood increase from N25,000 to N60,000, while a unit of negative blood rose from N30,000 to N75,000.
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Saheed urged the government to regulate and subsidise the unit cost of blood, saying, “We cannot begin to commercialise and profit from an essential commodity like blood.
“There are so many vulnerable members of society that depend on blood transfusions to stay alive at one time or the other.
“Most of these patients need multiple units of blood depending on their medical procedure.
He further said that the high unit cost of blood would encourage commercialisation, lamenting that there is no regulation for controlling how blood is sourced in Lagos, especially financially induced donation.
“Blood is life. It should be given freely. We need to ask ourselves the questions, is it the bag, screening or the reagents that justify the sale of blood at N50,000 upward?” Saheed queried.
Similarly, Esegine disclosed that the association’s engagement with the government’s representative on the issue was unproductive.
Esegine said, “We were told that the government withdrew the subsidy on blood and that whatever subsidy there is cannot be extended to the private sector.
NAN