The Students’ Representative Council of the Accra Polytechnic has held a blood donation exercise to raise awareness about the need for the public to donate blood voluntarily to help save lives.

The exercise formed part of activities marking the Ladies’ Week hosted by the Accra Polytechnic Women’s Commissioner.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Ms Confidence Ama Wullar, the Women’s Commissioner, said the maiden exercise would become an annual event.

“This is also our small social responsibility to respond to the needs of the less-privileged in the society, especially in the area of health, as well as helping to replenish the National Blood Bank,” she said.

Ms Wullar said the target was 100 pints of blood from about 250 voluntary donors.

She advised students to commit to donating blood periodically to help save lives.

Mr Stephen Danso, the Senior Blood Donor Recruitment Officer of the National Blood Transfusion Service, Southern Area Blood Centre, lauded the SRC of Accra Polytechnic for the exercise.

“More than 250,000 units of blood ought to be donated yearly and this initiative is a worthy cause as well as an utmost gift to society at all times,” he said.

“I encourage all to continue donating voluntarily as blood donation is our civic responsibility, especially the youth,” he said.

As part of health the programmes supporting the blood donation exercise, the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana educated students on HIV and AIDS prevention, the avoidance of Stigmatisation among HIV and AIDS Patients, and the use of condoms during sexual intercourse.

The blood donors had the privilege of undergoing free medical screening from the health agencies, which sponsored the programme.

The week-long Celebration which is on the theme, “Stimulating our Exuberance through Culture and Economic Thinking Skills” would include a Miss “Obaasima” pageant, a Seminar and a Cooking and Eating Competition.