Wa, Aug. 4, GNA - Mr Bernard K. Puozuing, Wa Regional Hospital Blood Organiser has criticised the tendency by some blood banks to announce the HIV/AIDS status of voluntary blood donors.

"The moment we publish that some blood donors of a particular hospital are HIV/AIDS positive it creates lots of panic and fear and I think we should keep such results in confidence," he explained. Mr Puozuing, who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency, in an interview in Wa on Wednesday, called on the Government to stop the practice.

He said in 2001, a total of 384 people voluntarily donated blood to the Wa Blood Bank, but the figure dropped to 321 in 2002 and 205 in 2003.

He said only 87 people had donated to Bank from January to June this year.

Mr Puozuing appealed to the Government to promulgate a national blood policy to reduce the over-dependence of patients on family donors, which he said could be highly risky.

"It is very dangerous to depend on family donors as their HIV/AIDS status might not be immediately clear before donation."