Myths, Misconceptions Prevent People From Donating Blood- NBTS

The National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) has blamed the poor culture of voluntary blood donation in the country on myths and misconception by people.


 The service also identified poor funding, inadequate sustainability plans, uncooperative attitude of health care workers coupled with resistance to change, as factors affecting the success of the service.

The National Coordinator of the NBTS, Dr Oluwatoyin Smith disclosed this to journalists during the service's Blood Safety Stakeholders meeting in Makurdi, Benue State.

This was contained in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP by the NBTS public relations officer, Abdullahi Haruna.

The NBTS also decried the absence of enabling legislation for the inability of National Blood Service to ensure compliance to the nation's National Blood Policy.

 According to the statement, the meeting anchored on the need of increasing public enlightenment on blood safety issues and providing avenue for relevant stakeholders to develop realistic, implementable and sustainable action plans on blood safety and instituting programme ownership, as well as, strengthening NBTS mandate in ensuring the availability of safe, quality and adequate blood product in Nigeria.

The minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Ambassador Bala Sani underscored the importance of blood transfusion as critical area of health component as millions of lives were saved every year from safe blood donated by voluntary donors.

Source: Leadership