Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital, a referral health facility in the Western Region, needs about 10,000 units of blood annually at its blood bank in order to operate efficiently.
Mr Francis Blay-Cudjoe, Deputy Chief Blood Organiser of the Blood Bank, said the facility currently had 1,500 units of blood which is far below its operating capacity and appealed for support from well-meaning Ghanaians by donating blood.
He said this during a blood donation exercise organized by Shama Radio in collaboration with Effia-Nkwanta-Blood Bank, Shama Health Centre and Lower Pra Rural Bank at Shama on Monday.
Mr Blay-Cudjoe said the blood bank supplies blood to other satellite health facilities across the Region and requires more voluntary blood donors in order to meet its target.
He said people between 17 and 60 years and in good medical condition qualify to donate blood and those who donate blood would be issued with certificates so that they would be given blood freely during emergencies.
Mr Blay-Cudjoe, however, said people with various ailments such as hypertension, diabetes, syphilis, as well as others with tattoos and body piercings are not qualified for the donation exercise.
He said donating blood had health benefits as it cleans the body and helps the heart to function effectively and dispelled the erroneous impression that blood donors would suffer various ailments in the future.
The Programmes Manager of Radio Shama, Reverend Erzuah Amuzu, said the blood donation exercise forms part of its Corporate Social Responsibility and appealed to all well-meaning Ghanaians to donate blood to save lives.
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