Techiman (B/A), April 5, GNA - Twenty members of the Techiman, Tuobodom and Chiraa branches of the Red Cross Society have donated blood to the Techiman Holy Family Hospital Blood Bank for emergency cases. Mr. James Yeboah, Chairman of the Society told Newsmen that the exercise formed part of their activities marking the National Blood Donation Day, which is usually held in March every year. He commended the donors for their voluntary spirit and concern for saving lives.

The donors would have to make follow up visits to the hospital after the screening the blood to find out their health status and whether they were HIV/AIDS positive or negative.

Mr. Yeboah noted with interest the number of young people registering with the Society and said it would encourage them to lead morally upright lives to avoid sexually transmitted diseases. He advised members of the Society against hard drugs, which had a negative effect on their health and prevent them from donating blood. Mr. Mustapha Baba Seidu, Organiser of the Society said the main problem facing the Red Cross was financial constraint since it was a voluntary association.

He said the members through monthly contributions funded the activities of the Society and stated that they had engaged in income generating activities such as snail and mushroom farming as well as bee-keeping to generate resources.