Tyonex backs blood donation drive as social responsibility

Against the backdrop of blood shortage and insufficient blood banks, the Managing Director of Tyonex Healthcare Limited, Emmanuel Tyohemba Agba, has appealed to Nigerians to see blood donation as a social and civic responsibility.

Agba, who was delivering a good will message to the 2015 World Blood Donor Day in Lagos on Monday, June 15, 2015, told participants that there was a growing need for blood from a broad range of patients and accident victims.

He said more awareness and participation in blood donation by Nigerians could save such lives. He said: “Blood donation is a very important civic duty and we should see it as such.

People die every day in our hospitals due to loss of blood and shortage of blood in blood banks. This is needless loss of lives, and we can help just by donating blood and playing our part as citizens. It is a good cause and we should all identify ourselves with it.”

The 2015 Blood Donor Day, with the theme “Thank You for Saving My Life,” was held at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja and was hosted by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee, and sponsored by Tyonex Healthcare.

Agba, who was represented by Tyonex Healthcare Business Development Manager Mr. Julius Nwauku, said the healthcare company would continue to support worthy causes as part of its corporate social responsibility.

In his remarks, the Chairman of NMA, Lagos Branch, Dr. Tope Ojo, noted that there was a more robust management of blood donation by the Lagos State government, saying it was safe to donate blood while donors could also derive benefits such as free medical checks and the satisfaction of saving a life with each donation.

Ojo said some of those who need blood are people with sickle cell disease, cancers, anaemia, burn victims, road accident victims that are bleeding, surgical patients and malaria patients with low blood level. Speakers stressed that those who are ill, pregnant, diagnosed as having HIV or hepatitis B, C or syphilis are not allowed to donate blood.

At the event, several people volunteered to give blood. All were tested to determine their fitness and qualification to donate. The World Health Organisation (WHO) earmarks the World Blood Donor Day, June 14, as a day to raise consciousness and promote blood donation across the world.