The Head of Medicine and Transfusion Unit at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital(KATH), Dr Mrs Shirley Owusu-Ofori has appealed to the public to donate blood voluntarily to the Unit rather than waiting for emergency situations to do so.
According to her, it was best for the public to help blood banks and units to restock their facilities at all times than the usual conduct of outreach programs to appeal for donations.
Speaking to the Ghanaian Observer Newspaper in Kumasi ahead of the World Donor day, Dr Owusu-Ofori encouraged the public to partner with health institutions to help restock their blood banks.
According to her, blood was life and therefore the need to give same when people are able so as to enable hospitals have enough to attend to emergencies.
EDUCATION:
Shedding more light on voluntary blood donations, the Head of Transfusion Unit said everyone was able to give blood once the person was not sick or on special medication.
According to her, there was nothing fearful or strange in giving out blood since donors were screened before their blood samples taken.
In the course of taking out blood, Dr Ofori said donors are examined to ensure they are fit and had no sickness to worry about after donating blood.
She also stressed that the unit before they give out blood to patients at the hospital consciously conduct rigorous checks to ensure the blood they are giving out conforms with the blood group of the patient or needy.
NEW DRIVE:
To ensure the regular supply of blood to the Unit and other medical facilities across the country, Dr Ofori mentioned the partnership it had struck with some corporate entities to ensure regular donation drives are done periodically.
This, she said was to enable the Unit have access to blood anytime there was the need or there appears an occasion to have some to attend to emergencies.
Dr Ofori also mentioned plans by the Unit to reach out more to the public to ensure it has enough blood to attend to cases and emergencies at KATH.
Other blood banks, she revealed have also put in place similar plans to conduct more sensitization and public workshops to ensure the populace get the understanding of giving out blood voluntarily.
