By Ayomide Otitoju
The Lagos State Government has stepped up efforts to ensure a safe, adequate and sustainable blood supply, as the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service (LSBTS) held a Voluntary Blood Donation Awareness and One-on-One Sensitisation Campaign at the Lagos State Government Secretariat Community, Alausa-Ikeja, on Tuesday.
The campaign, themed “Voluntary Donors, Sustainable Blood: Securing Lagos State’s Blood Supply,” formed part of activities to mark the LSBTS Blood Awareness Month and reinforced the state’s commitment to promoting voluntary, non-remunerated blood donation among residents.
Declaring the campaign open, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said Lagos, with an estimated population of about 30 million people, requires between 200,000 and 250,000 units of blood annually to meet its healthcare needs. He stressed that voluntary blood donation remains the safest and most sustainable source of blood.
Prof. Abayomi disclosed that the state recorded about 141,000 units of blood in the last cycle, representing roughly 70 per cent of its target, commending Lagos residents who donate blood voluntarily to save lives during medical emergencies.
Describing blood as a “liquid organ,” the commissioner said blood transfusion is comparable to organ transplantation and must adhere to strict scientific protocols, including thorough screening and accurate donor-recipient matching, to prevent complications and transfusion-related infections.
He reassured residents that blood donation poses no health risk to eligible and healthy donors, urging especially young people to make it a regular habit, noting that every pint of blood donated directly translates into lives saved across the state’s health facilities.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Ogunyemi, said the demand for blood is constant, cutting across emergencies such as childbirth complications, road traffic accidents, surgeries and other critical medical conditions that occur daily.
Dr. Ogunyemi said the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has modernised blood transfusion services through digitisation, improved tracking systems and strengthened safety protocols to ensure that only screened and safe blood is available to patients.
She explained that not all prospective donors are accepted, as robust screening processes are in place to protect both donors and recipients, adding that continuous training of laboratory and transfusion personnel ensures compliance with global best practices.
Emphasising that blood donation is a daily necessity rather than a seasonal activity, she urged residents to overcome fears and myths surrounding blood donation, assuring that public trust remains central to sustaining the state’s blood supply.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Dayo Lajide, commended the LSBTS and voluntary donors for their commitment, describing blood as a critical resource that underpins effective healthcare delivery.
Dr. Lajide noted that while blood demand often rises during festive periods due to increased mobility and accidents, the need persists throughout the year, making continuous donation campaigns essential for a resilient health system.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of LSBTS, Dr. Bodunrin Osikomaiya, lamented the persistence of myths and misconceptions that discourage blood donation in Nigeria, despite the daily occurrence of medical emergencies, deliveries and accidents.
She said the campaign was designed to take advocacy directly to the community, starting with government offices, ministries, departments and agencies, as well as public spaces, to lead by example and encourage wider participation.
Dr. Osikomaiya added that LSBTS is strengthening one-on-one sensitisation this year to address individual concerns, while opening its facilities to the public to improve transparency in blood collection, testing, processing and storage.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Health, Dr. Oluwatoni Adeyemi, said the campaign aligns with global blood donation advocacy, noting that LSBTS has expanded its digital platforms to make it easier for residents to access information on where and how to donate blood throughout the year.
He called for collective responsibility in safeguarding the state’s blood supply, stressing that blood donation should be seen as a continuous civic duty rather than a one-off activity.
Speaking on the impact of voluntary donation, one of the donors, Mohammed Asalejo, said he has been donating blood since 2022, adding that the experience has improved his sense of well-being and inspired him to encourage others to donate.
Another donor, Alhaji Oladele Asalejo, who has donated blood for over 15 years, described blood donation as beneficial both medically and socially, urging residents not to shy away from the exercise, as it promotes personal health while saving lives.
The event featured awareness talks, donor mobilisation, voluntary blood donation, extensive one-on-one sensitisation and the placement of information stickers on vehicles, with participation from officials of the Ministry of Health and LSBTS staff, as Lagos continues to intensify efforts to secure a reliable and safe blood supply for its growing population.
