Ghana’s blood banks require a substantial amount of blood to save several lives across the country’s hospitals.

However the center hardly meets this need and often times patients have had to lose their lives as the demand for blood far outstrips its supply.

Statistics show the national blood centre currently meets less than 50% of its requirement. The centre relies mainly on voluntary blood donation to ensure adequate supply to patients who need it.

On Thursday, June 18th, 2015, Newmont Ghana joined the rest of the world to mark this year’s World Blood Donor Day to emphasise the need for every healthy person to respond and voluntarily donate blood to save lives.

In line with its Health and Safety Values, the company partnered the national blood centre and conducted a blood donation exercise for employees at its Ahafo and Accra sites to voluntarily donate and support the work of the nation’s hospitals. Close to two hundred employees and business partners donated blood to help stock the nation’s blood banks.

According to the company’s Regional Director for Health and Safety, Alex Calder, the exercise was in demonstration of Newmont’s Health and Safety values and commitment to improving lives.

“I am very proud of our employees and business partners for the great show of support to this cause. It’s important that we all commit to saving the lives of our brothers and sisters in the hospitals and I am glad our employees came out in their numbers to demonstrate this commitment. We hope this will encourage others to also donate blood as often as they can to support the National Blood Service,” Mr. Calder said.

He added that the blood donation exercise is part of a broader Employee Wellness programme planned by the company to promote positive health behaviour among its employees and business partners across sites.

Instituting the employee wellness programme is the company's proactive approach to encouraging its employees and business partners engage in healthy living practices.

The wellness programme will provide a health check platform for employees to regularly check their health status, participate in fitness exercises and ensure a life of wellness both at work and at home.