Mr Samuel Nunoo, Head of Blood Donation Recruitment at the National Blood Service (NBS) has urged the public to donate blood voluntarily in order to help save life.

He alleged that some people take money before donating blood, saying “blood donation should be free as it is intended to save lives of people”.

Mr Nunoo said this during a workshop for Pledge/Club 25 in Greater Accra Region, organised by NBS in collaboration with the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation.

He said the NBS would be introducing a community blood mobilisation programme nationwide to encourage the public to donate blood to support the blood bank.

“I will urge everybody to donate blood voluntarily as it is not painful to do so and can be done in every four months,” he said.

Mr Michael Sottie, Donor Service Manager, said Pledge/Club 25 is a nine -month project being run to establish a cohort of safe, regular non-remunerated blood donors among the youth towards the achievement of 100 per cent voluntary blood donation.

He said members belonging to the club have pledged to voluntarily donate blood at least 25 times in their life time to support the NBS.

“The Pledge/Club 25 would also help to motivate peer groups within educational institutions, religious organisations and organised community groups such as keep fit clubs, work places and the community at large to donate blood voluntarily and on regular basis,” he said.

He said the NBS would by the end of the project in June aimed at receiving 5000 units of blood and also inculcate the habit of voluntary donation of blood among the youth.

Mr Sottie said the Pledge/Club 25 project is currently being piloted in Greater Accra, Volta, Eastern, Central and Western regions and would be replicated in the other regions in due course.

The Pledge/Club 25 workshop was attended by the executives of the various clubs in the Greater Accra Region and were taken through topics such as community blood mobilisation, donor recruitment and retention, donor loyalty, interpersonal communications skills, marketing and communication for blood donor recruitment and conversion of family replacement.