Maternal Deaths: Expert Harps On Voluntary Blood Donation

Voluntary blood donation by the public to make for sufficient blood at the blood banks remains another sure way of checkmating maternal deaths during pregnancy and child delivery.
Consultant Gynaecologist, Dr Mimi MacDnald, stated this shortly after the antenatal clinic session at the Charis Medical Centre, Iriebe, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Monday.
MacDonald noted that a major percentage of maternal deaths were due largely to the unavailability of blood at the time of delivery, blaming it on the negative and unproductive ideology of the people.
Macdonald said, “bleeding during pregnancy and childbirth is a major factor of maternal death and so having at least a part of blood ready for the mother at that time was a necessity. The blood banks are there and are functioning but there is shortage in the supply of blood and when emergencies such as this arise, the mother is at the mercy of death”.
The expert, who noted with dismay the idea of non blood donation and transfusion by some persons and groups said, that was against the ethics of good medical health adding, that should such idea be discarded, it would boost not only the nation’s blood banks but save the lives of Nigerians in critical blood-required emergencies.
“Safe blood transfusion saves lives. Every year, millions of people need blood on a regular basis to survive. Moreso, patients are admitted in the hospitals everyday which also calls for blood donation everyday. “We need to desist from this obscure idea and be not just at vocates of blood donation but donors ourselves, because this same blood may be used for us or even our close relations”.
MacDonald further urged the government to create more donation centres

Lady Godknows Ogbulu