A 12-year-old boy, Andrew Adansi Bonnah, has said it was important for Ghanaians to develop a voluntary habit of walking to any hospital to donate blood.

He said the nation needed about 250,000 pints of blood yearly to meet the demands of all blood banks across the country yet but less than 90,000 pints of blood are raised each year.

A statement issued by Mr Kobla Asamani, Technical Advising Director of the Ridge Hospital Blood Bank and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said Bonnah made the call at a voluntary blood donation exercise organised by the Blood Bank at the Accra Academy Senior high School at the weekend.

Bonnah, who recently launched a national blood campaign dubbed “Save Our Blood Bank, Save Lives Project” to raise 100,000 pints of blood for blood banks in the country, said blood donation should be everybody’s concern.

“You may not know when you will need one, hence the need for all and sundry to volunteer for this cause. We need blood for accident victims, maternal care cases, anemic patients, surgeries and other medical related issues”, Bonnah said.

The statement said hundreds of Ghanaians from all walks of life trooped to the premises of the school to donate their blood to the Ridge Blood Bank that was undertaking the exercise. In all about 150 people donated to the Blood Bank.

Promasidor Ghana limited, manufacturers of Cowbell and other dairy related products, was at the event to throw their unflinching support behind young Bonnah in his quest to raise the 100,000 blood pints.

Each blood donor went home with a Cowbell T’shirt and a range of Cowbell milk related products as well as treated to a heavy drink up of milk beverage. Meanwhile, Promasidor Ghana limited has pledged their support for this noble initiative that needs an urgent national attention.

The Ridge Hospital Blood Bank team said the exercise was indeed timely since there has been shortage of blood throughout the country.

According to the medical team, Bonnah had demonstrated an early conscience of leadership and humanitarian spirit that were missing in today’s leaders and future children.

The Ridge Hospital was grateful to young Bonnah, Promasidor Ghana limited and the blood donors for the exercise.