Nigerian lawmakers pledge support for blood donation amid funding challenges

Members of the House of Representatives have pledged to provide legislative support to address the funding challenges facing the country’s blood service system.

This was disclosed by the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Specialty Healthcare, Lawan Shettima, during a roundtable discussion aimed at fostering collaborations and addressing critical issues in the blood service sector.

Mr Shettima said the office will be expanded across the federation.

He said: “So I believe I would support them, they will acquire more equipment, more facilities, and even expand their offices to zonal levels.

“This is what we are suggesting. So inshallah we’ll do our best to see that legislatively we intervene.”

More details

Earlier in his remarks, the Director General, National Blood Service Commission (NBSC), Saleh Yugudah, said the major challenge confronting the organisation is lack of equipment.

He said: “The major challenges we have across the country is that of equipment and even most of our centres are very old. So we are trying to see if we can rely on the National Assembly to come to our aid so that we can get more funding for the commission. And I believe that with their support we will be able to achieve that.”

Importance of blood donation

Donors and stakeholders emphasised the importance of blood donation, citing personal experiences and the impact it has on patients in need.

Ibrahim Adamu, who was donating for the 21st time, shared his motivation for donating, which he said began when he struggled to find blood for his father in 2014.

He said: “I think the first motivation was when I took my father to the hospital and we needed blood. We searched everywhere, we didn’t get blood. At last I came here, somebody directed me from the hospital and we got the blood here.

“That was in 2014, and since then I have been donating every six months. And I feel happy to donate my blood every six months to save lives.”

Mr Adamu called on the public to donate blood saying it goes a long way in saving lives.

“My call to all Nigerians is that we should be our brother’s keeper. You never can tell, it could be you, not even your relation. A lot of people are looking for blood,” he added.

About NBSC

NBSC is a government agency responsible for ensuring a safe and adequate blood supply in Nigeria.

Established in 2005, it operates 17 blood centres across the country, collecting and screening approximately 25,000 units of blood annually from voluntary donors.

However, only five per cent of blood donations come from voluntary donors, with the majority sourced from commercial donors, posing a risk of infections.

The NBSC aims to increase voluntary donations and reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections, thereby saving lives.