UNIBEN Don Cautions On Blood Diseas

NIGERIANS have been advised to undergo regular blood screening if they want to live long.

Prof. Halim Daye, consultant Hematologist of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) gave this advise at the 159th inaugural lecture titled, We Must Take Care of Our Blood, Or Else.

Prof. Daye bemoaned what he called ‘I don’t care attitude of most Nigerians, saying many Nigerians are so concerned about their outward appearance without caring about what flows in their system.

“Many people do not even know their blood group. Some young people even marry without blood test, thereby endangering the lives of their children. Many blood diseases can be managed if detected early. This is the reason one should undergo a full blood screening at least once in six months,” he said.

The don called on government to declare a state of emergency on Hepatitis B Virus, stressing that it is 40 times more infectious than HIV/AIDS and affects one in every four Nigerians.

To check the spread, he recommended that government should provide infrastructure necessary to run blood test in health centres across the nation. He also called on relevant authorities to invest in the training of hematologist and also to provide fund for research in hematology.

Urging government to make pre-employment blood screening a must in the country, he cautioned workers at heal centres to take precautions against HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis, when handling patients’ blood and also to properly use sterilisers and disinfectants.

He harped on the need for medical personnel to properly screen blood before transfusion to avoid blood diseases.
Observing that there is need for the government to develop a health policy framework that would ensure a mandatory periodical blood checks for all citizens, especially school children and civil servants, the don called on the media and non-governmental agencies to create more awareness on the need to undergo regular blood screening.

University of Benin (UNIBEN) VC, Prof. Faraday Orumwense, who chaired the lecture, commended the lecturer, adding that his recommendations would be submitted to the appropriate quarters.