Lagos targets 250,000 blood units annually
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The Lagos State Government has renewed its drive for a safe, adequate, and sustainable blood supply, aiming to collect about 250,000 units of blood annually.
The campaign is being advanced through the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service Voluntary Blood Donation Awareness and One-to-One Sensitisation Campaign.
The initiative, tagged “Voluntary Donors, Sustainable Blood: Securing Lagos State’s Blood Supply,” was held on Tuesday at the Secretariat Community, Alausa-Ikeja, as part of activities marking Blood Awareness Month.
Declaring the event open, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said Lagos, with a population of roughly 30 million, requires between 200,000 and 250,000 units of blood yearly.
He noted that about 141,000 units were collected in the last cycle—approximately 70 per cent of the target—and commended residents who voluntarily donated to save lives.
Abayomi described blood as a “liquid organ,” comparing transfusion to organ transplantation, and emphasised that strict protocols, including rigorous screening and accurate donor-recipient matching, are critical to preventing complications and infections.
He reassured eligible donors that blood donation poses no health risk and encouraged young people to make it a regular practice.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, highlighted the constant demand for blood due to emergencies such as childbirth complications, road accidents, and surgeries.
She noted that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration has modernised blood transfusion services through digitisation, improved tracking systems, and strengthened safety protocols to ensure only screened, safe blood is available.
Ogunyemi emphasised that blood donation is a daily necessity, not a seasonal activity, urging residents to overcome fears and myths about donation.
In her remarks,the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Dayo Lajide, praised LSBTS and voluntary donors for their commitment, describing blood as a life-saving resource critical to effective healthcare delivery.
Culled from punch
