The Greater Accra Regional Office of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has organised a blood donation exercise to augment the bloodstock in the National Blood Bank.

The exercise attracted more than 100 staff from all its 14 districts including Osu Clottey, Ablekuma, Weija, Ayawaso, Kpeshie and Ashaiman amongst others to donate blood to support the National Blood Bank.

The donors were screened for their haemoglobin levels, blood pressure, weight as well as blood groups and other related diseases.

Briefing the media, Mr Lawrence Amartey, the Regional Director of NHIA, said voluntary blood donation by the staff of NHIA had become a routine that formed part of the Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.

He said the donation exercise which started three years ago, had now been incorporated into their programme to be embarked upon on a yearly basis and had been observed in all the regional offices.

Mr Amartey said the target was 200 pints of blood to help save lives as to complement the stock of blood at the National Blood Bank to help assist emergencies.

Mrs Joyce Oppong Adu, the Senior Blood Donor Recruiter, National Blood Service, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, commended the office for the support.

She said the donation was a necessity because patients needed blood transmission to survive.

She said the demand at the Blood Bank was higher than the supply and appealed to Ghanaians to voluntarily donate blood every four months and live a healthy life to be able to save lives.

The benefits of blood donation she said was God’s blessing, free health screening, certificate or donor card, fresh production of blood and to know your blood status.