Accra, Oct. 3, GNA - Records indicated that 400,000 units of blood was needed annually for patients in the country's hospitals and clinics while 1000 units was transfused daily.

"Maintaining an appreciable constancy in the provision of this scarce human resource for the patients depend on the preparedness of our kind voluntary, altruistic donors", Dr. Justina Ansah, Director of the National Blood Service said at the launch of this year's Freemasons sponsored schools and colleges blood donation competition awards on Tuesday in Accra.

This year's blood donation campaign is under the theme: "Safe, Adequate Blood for Transfusion, Responsibility of every Citizen". She said to ensure the supply of safe, adequate, efficacious and accessible blood and blood products were delivered in a timely manner for needy patients nationwide, it required an integrated strategy, which incorporated a well-structured quality assurance programme. Dr Ansah said the role of the youth in the community in ensuring a continuous supply of safe and adequate blood in the health care delivery over the years could not be over-emphasized.

She said "having assured ourselves of the safety blood our students give us every year, their commitment now and thereafter encourages us to work in partnership with them". She observed that the all the world over was focusing on the youth who, by virtue of their age and activities were not exposed to much risk factors when adequately educated early on the need for safe blood supply.

Dr Ansah lauded the contribution of Freemasons for keeping faith with the Service for the past twenty years.

Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister of Education, Science and Sports called on all Ghanaians to see blood donation as a civic responsibility and a humanitarian exercise which should touch the hearts of all those who cherished and valued human lives.

He called on would be blood donors to adopt a clean and healthy lifestyle devoid of dangerous and careless practices, which render the blood, donated unsafe.

The Minister entreated all Heads of colleges to encourage the formation of Blood Donors clubs, adding that he would readily accept an invitation to launch the concept in any school that would form the club. Professor Sakyi Awuku Amoah, Chairman, National Aids Commission appealed to the youth to continue donating blood, saying, "today's donor could become tomorrow's recipient".

He expressed his satisfaction on the enthusiasm with which students in both the secondary and the tertiary institutions donated immensely to the Blood Bank.

Second cycle and tertiary institutions selected from the northern and southern sectors that participated in last year's blood donation competition were awarded for their efforts.