By Ayomide Otitoju
The Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service (LSBTS) has convened its 2026 Blood Donor Mobilizer Stakeholders’ Engagement as part of efforts to strengthen voluntary blood donation and close existing gaps in the state’s blood supply.
The engagement, held on Wednesday at the DMO Resource Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, brought together donor mobilizers, development partners and civil society organisations across Lagos State. It was themed “Voluntary Donors, Sustainable Blood: Securing Lagos State Blood Supply.”
The forum was designed to align stakeholders with the state’s 2026 donor recruitment targets, improve donor retention, address barriers to blood donation and deepen partnerships to ensure a steady supply of safe blood for patients.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of LSBTS, Dr. Bodunrin Osikomaiya, said the meeting came at a critical time, noting that demand for blood in Lagos remains consistently high due to childbirth complications, accidents, surgeries, sickle cell crises and cancer treatment, while donation levels often fluctuate.
Dr. Osikomaiya stressed that blood cannot be manufactured or substituted, adding that only regular voluntary, non-remunerated donations can guarantee a safe and sustainable blood supply. She noted that the sharp drop in donations during the December festive period highlighted the need for stronger and more coordinated mobilization.
She described donor mobilizers as the most crucial link in the blood supply chain, explaining that infrastructure and policies alone cannot save lives without people willing to donate and trusted advocates encouraging donation within communities, workplaces, schools and faith-based organisations.
According to her, the 2026 strategy will focus on recruiting more first-time voluntary donors and converting them into regular donors through improved follow-up, donor care, recognition and a referral approach encouraging each donor to reach one or two others.
Presenting the donor recruitment outlook, the Head of Donor Recruitment and Retention at LSBTS, Ms. Olayinka Animashaun, said the service recruited 7,670 donors in 2025, with 5,656 successful donations recorded from 216 blood drives conducted across the state.
She attributed the improved turnout to stronger face-to-face advocacy, pre-donation counselling, better donor services and improved documentation, while noting that low awareness, myths, poor internet connectivity and space constraints remained challenges.
Ms. Animashaun said the 2026 focus would be on deeper community engagement, improved donor experience and addressing misconceptions that discourage otherwise eligible residents from donating blood.
Speaking on behalf of partners, the President of the Rotary Club of Lagos Palm Grove Estate, Rotarian Pravin Kumar, said Rotary clubs across Lagos play an active role in mobilising donors to support emergency blood needs. He disclosed that Palm Grove Estate donates an average of 500 pints of blood annually, with plans to increase the figure to 1,000 pints this year.
Also speaking, the Co-Founder of One Health Lifesavers, Mr. Idris Ibrahim, said the engagement strengthened collaboration among organisations, adding that shared networks and pooled resources would help reach more people and organise multiple donation drives across the state.
Similarly, the Public Relations Officer of KBK Club, Mr. Kamal Safiriyu, said the forum provided an opportunity to review past efforts, share lessons and refine strategies, noting that collaboration remains key to improving donation outcomes.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Diabetes & Limb Salvage Foundation, Mrs. Osarenkhoe Chima Nwagwugwu, described blood donation as a non-negotiable societal need, urging residents to see voluntary blood donation as a shared responsibility rather than an occasional charitable act.
The engagement concluded with a collective commitment by stakeholders to expand coordinated outreach, strengthen donor trust and work closely with LSBTS to ensure the availability of safe blood for patients across Lagos State.
