Dr Lucy Asamoah-Akuoko, acting Director, National Blood Service (NBS) Ghana, has called on government to provide the service with legislation in terms of blood transfusion to enable it operate as it should and achieve its objectives.
She said the legislation would back activities the Service undertakes as an organization, give it authority in negotiation process with stakeholders and other facilities, in order to set standards.

“This would ensure safe, efficacy and adequacy of blood and blood component for all patients, in all health institutions of the country, both public and private, making it accessible and affordable and above all promote voluntary blood donation,” she said.

The acting Director said this at the opening of a two day meeting on the 2015 annual performance review, where stakeholders reviewed and assessed the activities of the National Blood Service, Ghana (NBSG).

It was on the theme, “sustained voluntary unpaid blood donations- an essential intervention for safe reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health”.

Dr Asamoah-Akuoko urged Ghanaians especially the youth to see voluntary blood donation as a calling, since hospitals could not depend on blood supply from people who show up only when a relative needed blood or ought to replace blood already given to a relative during emergencies.

Dr Victor Bampoe, Deputy Minister of Health, congratulated the NBS for its hard work and contributions to ensure quality maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health and nutrition.

He said the theme for the event could not have come at an appropriate time to help encourage voluntary blood donation, which more importantly had improved the healthcare sector and curtail maternal mortality.