Mr Emil Anornu, Senior Blood Donor Organiser at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Takoradi has admonished the public to have confidence in the blood transfused to patients in the hospitals.

He said the hospitals were there to save lives therefore would ensure that blood transfused to patients were safe, adding “we aim at saving lives but not to destroy. It would be sad to add sickness to already sick people.”

As a result, blood donated by the public is thoroughly screened in the laboratories before transfusing to patients.

Mr Anornu gave the assurance at a public blood donation exercise organized by the MTN Ghana Foundation in Takoradi, as part of activities marking this year’s Valentine Day.

The Blood Organizer said the hospitals needed a lot of blood to stock their banks as those in high need of it were women in labour, children and accident victims.

Mr Abubakar Mohammed, Western/Central Regional Senior Manager of MTN Ghana, said the blood donation exercise formed part of the organisation’s corporate social responsibility which had been concentrated not only on health, but education environment and other sectors.

Fifty people including three females had donated blood as at 13 hours the time the GNA was leaving the Takoradi market circle, the venue for the exercise.