The Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has joined the Ministry’s press corps and staff of the Ministry of Information and the Information Services Department to donate blood to stock the National Blood Bank.
The Ministry targeted to donate 100 unit pints of blood to the blood bank at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital following a shortage of blood at the facility due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Oppong Nkrumah, who set an example by personally donating blood, encouraged individuals and corporate entities to donate blood for a just cause.
The outbreak of the Covid-19 has reduced the rate of blood donation in health centres in the country. The exercise was, therefore, to fill the gap and replenish blood in the National Blood Bank.
Mr Oppong Nkrumah thanked the media personnel who availed themselves to donate blood.
He said: “Today, I am humbled and impressed that my colleagues in the press pool, in addition to the staff of the Ministry of Information, Information Services Department and other volunteers have come together to participate in stocking the blood bank.â€
The Chief Executive Officer of the National Blood Service, Dr Justina Ansah, noted that the exercise would help save lives.
She said any healthy individuals with a sound mind and age between 17 to 60 were eligible to donate blood.
“However, anyone who weighs below 50kg cannot donate blood because the volume of blood taken is based on the individual’s total body volume. Also, if you have lost a lot of weight within the past few days, it may be evidence of some disease; hence you may not be eligible to donate,†she added.
She urged the public to participate in subsequent blood donations exercise, adding that performing such exercises is also civic responsibility.
She lauded the Ministry for the initiative and called on other Ministries, Department and Agencies to follow suit.
Juliet Etefe / Dorcas Anorkor Addo, ISD
