Correspondence from the Eastern Region

The Eastern Regional Director of the Ghana Health Services (GHS) has decried the roles that various myths play in hindering effective public participation in blood donation exercises across the country.

Nationwide, fears of lower rates of voluntary blood donations are attributed to the insufficient level of public awareness on the need to donate blood, the fear of needles, and the disinterest from citizens when they realize there was no major incentive in stock for them after making a donation.

Dr. Winfred Ofosu, the Eastern Regional Director of the GHS in an interview with GhanaWeb encouraged the populace not to be discouraged by these false fears. He noted: "You know sometimes people are skeptical about various myths but they should be assured that many of those myths are not the truth.

"The people who have been donating blood regularly are still sound, they haven't had any illness but they're rather improving in health."

World Blood Donor Day is held on June 14 each year to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.

However, with many people shying away from donating the body fluid, the director spelt out its needs especially in crucial times, adding that donation was important to save lives.

"We basically encourage people to donate because blood is life and people often critically need blood in terms of pregnant women who deliver and they're bleeding excessively and then also accident victims and the greatest challenge is availability of blood so on this day we urge the general public to donate blood generally to the health facilities."

Asked if blood availability was an issue in the Eastern Region, he answered in the negative, adding that there was “adequate blood” at the various blood banks. He however added that the situation must be sustained as “we need a little bit more” to avert any eventualities.

The regional director explained that some health facilities occasionally ran out of stocks though, necessitating the transfer of patients to different facilities.

However, relatives of some patients who have encountered difficulties in accessing blood at the Eastern Regional Hospital for treatment for various ailments have shared their frustrations with this portal.

One of them who only gave her name as Margaret said she was forced to fall on someone to come donate blood for a relative on admission at the facility.

"They don't have any blood...they don't have Kobo, 3 days ago I had to call someone to come and donate and even today I'll pay for someone to come and donate, they don't have one kobo...when you come to the hospital everybody is calling their relatives to come and donate blood for them,” said the frustrated woman.

Public unprepared to donate blood

Fewer people are reportedly voluntarily donating blood, making it difficult to get the body fluid to salvage emergency cases.

Some members of the general public who spoke to GhanaWeb expressed their unpreparedness to partake in blood donation exercises to contribute the crucial element to health facilities.

Though most of them have donated to save the lives of loved ones, participating in general exercises to gift a pint of blood is a no, no.

Miss Patricia Nartey said, “We’re usually advised at the hospital to donate blood but I haven’t done so because I fear any effects, that I may faint. We hear that donors are not given the requisite supplements to regain the lost blood and energy, I can’t do it and end up fainting,” she explained.

Asked if she would be willing to donate if she was convinced that she would be given the necessary supplements, she answered in the affirmative.

Miss Tetteh Eunice, a shop attendant shared similar views. She said she had heard stories of donors “feeling weak” after donating blood with officials failing to give donors any kind of supplement to facilitate they regaining their strength.

She was livid that the blood of donors was later sold to needy patients including people who might have previously engaged in donation exercises and questioned why she should donate when she doesn’t stand to get any benefits.

According to her, she still wasn’t prepared to donate blood in the future despite any assurances that supplements would be given her to regain her status.

A pastor, Abraham Teye was only forced to donate blood to his pregnant wife when the need arose. He disclosed that prior to that, he had never done any voluntary donation.

Describing the practice as improper, the man of God said, “I can’t do it wholeheartedly because through my job blood donation is improper but I did it because I found myself in a critical situation.”

He urged the government to take steps to ensure that the public took steps to ensure that they have enough blood to forestall incidents of blood shortages and the need for the body fluid.