A technician attending to some donors
Acting Corporate Services Executive of MTN Ghana, Pala Asiedu Ofori, has stated that her institution is mobilising donors nationwide to donate about 2,750 pints of blood to the National Blood Bank.
She said the exercise forms part of MTN’s annual blood donation campaign dubbed ‘Save A Life Blood Donation’, which is usually held on Valentine’s Day.
The 2018 edition also marks the 10th anniversary celebration which is under the theme: ‘Celebrating Ten Years of Brightening Lives, Inspiring A Brighter Future’.
Addressing donors at the forecourt of MTN House in Accra, Madam Ofori said the MTN Ghana Foundation raised 2,067 pints of blood in 2017, adding that it has so far donated 6,226 pints of blood since 2011.
According to her, the foundation in its bid to achieve its 2018 blood donation target of 2,750 pints for the National Blood Bank has set up 16 ‘Bleeding Centres’ nationwide to attract volunteers.
“The tears of a mother cannot save her child but your blood can, therefore, encourage your friends and relations to be part of our campaign for more blood,” she indicated.
Rhoderlyn Entsua-Mensah, Manager for Sustainability & Social Impact, MTN Ghana Foundation, was happy that the event had moved from merely being an MTN in-house event to a bigger stage which now involves a number of notable agencies and individuals.
“MTN’s interests are driven by the fact that it needs a healthy society to be able to enjoy our services,” Mrs Entsua-Mensah highlighted.
MTN Ghana Foundation invests in education, health and economic empowerment as the company’s strategy to connect with communities.
Samuel Nunoo, blood organiser, National Blood Bank, bemoaned how Ghanaians are apathetic to donate blood to the bank.
According to him, the bank which releases about 150-200 pints of blood to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) alone may not be in the position to give out blood to other medical facilities as required into the future if the pints of blood taken are not replaced.
He, therefore, appealed to corporate instititutions to join in the campaign for more blood.
BY Solomon Ofori