Dignitaries at the 2020 performance review.
The National Blood Service (NBS) has recorded a sharp decline in the number of voluntary unpaid blood donations recording only 17 per cent for the year 2020.
The figure falls short of the 33 per cent voluntary unpaid blood donation recorded in 2019 and the 37 per cent recorded in 2018.
According to the NBS, the 2020 national target of 42 per cent of voluntary unpaid blood donation was missed due to the effects of the outbreak of Covid-19.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Justina K. Ansah presenting the 2020 performance review of the NBS said the effect of Covid-19 on blood supply was due to the fear of the unknown.
She said the disease was associated with severe illness and mortality novel, with unknown symptomatology or infectivity which contributed to stigma, public anxiety and rumours.
Dr Ansah further noted that the Covid-19 national response to minimize the spread of the virus which included physical (social) distancing measures, ban on gatherings, closure of institutions, sudden lockdown directly impacted blood donations.
“We had to cancel scheduled mobile blood donation sessions, close institutions involved in blood donation and reduce individual and group blood donations at fixed sites,” she said.
The NBS CEO further indicated that due to restrictions there was the fear of visiting hospital-based collection sites which resulted in the reduction in the prioritization of blood donation due to public anxiety and economic stress accompanying the sudden lockdown.
She, therefore, appealed to the public to avail themselves for voluntary blood donation to shore up the low stock of the essential medical supply in the country.
“We have reorganized our work schedule and workflow, we have put in place additional safety measures to protect staff and clients from community transmission,” she said.
She however said the NBS recorded some significant milestones in the year under review one being the passage of the National Blood Service Bill adding that soon a board will be constituted to see to the effective running of the activities of NBS.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri