Mr. John De - Graft Baiden is a hero. He has made a total of 121 blood donations to the Ghana Blood Service and voted Best Blood Donor in Ghana. He does what he does for very good reason. He hails from Assin Fosu, a relatively small district in the Central Region which has recorded several maternal deaths.

Almost all the women died from excessive bleeding from pregnancy related complications or during child birth. “I could not bear to see all these women die, whilst I could do something about it” explained Mr. De - Graft Baiden.

Majority of Ghanaians would share his sentiments but voluntary blood donation is still not popular and usually limited to special appeals. Most people will donate blood when a relative or friend is seriously ill. Ghana’s blood banks are nearly always empty.

MHC continues to highlight key maternal health policy issues with a focus on this critical challenge confronting the public health service. Don’t miss it.