The Headmistress and students of Amaniampong Senior High School (SHS) in Asante Mampong, have embarked on a voluntary blood donation exercise to augment the blood stock at the National Blood Service.

The exercise, formed part of a litany of activities lined by the School authorities to mark the School's maiden Student Representative Council (SRC) week celebration.

Mrs Esther Osei Owusu, Headmistress of the School, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the side-lines of the exercise that, the gesture was their bit to support the government in its efforts to save lives, most especially, those of expectant women.

She said it was sad that women who did not suffer from any ailment lost their lives through childbirth due to issues that could be related to loss of blood before, during or after labour.

The students and teachers cheerfully donated the critical life-saving fluid to help save lives.

Prior to the exercise, those who opted to donate blood, had their blood samples thoroughly screened to ascertain their health status.

Their vital signs - Blood Pressure, blood sugar levels, among others, were also checked to ensure the safety of the blood they donated.

Mr. Richard Afful, the leader of the National Blood Service team, before the exercise, also sensitized the students on who could donate blood and who could not.

He outlined the risks, health implications and benefits that donors stood to gain, if they donated the blood.

He said the body itself works to replenish any amount of blood that a person screened and certified by the medical team as healthy, would donate, allaying the fears of those who thought the donation might affect their health.

The donors were given some food supplements, after the exercise.