The Eastern Regional Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has partnered with the Regional Hospital to host a blood donation event at Asokore, New Juaben North District, to help maintain a consistent supply of blood. The exercise was supported by the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Hospital in the Eastern Region. Madam Anita Owusu-Kuffour, the Eastern Regional Head of the FDA, explained that the blood would undergo thorough screening and evaluation to determine its health and nutritional status. Following this, she added, a portion of the blood would be distributed to local health centres to guarantee a constant supply of blood to patients and eliminate the need to redirect them to nearby hospitals. ‘The importance of blood transfusions to patients cannot be over-emphasised because blood is life,’ she said. Mr. George Ampofo Ayeh, the Eastern Regional Public Relations Officer of the FDA, explained that the blood donation exercise was conducted as part of the Authority’s corporate social responsibility. He said there were two blood donation exercises conducted this year, one in the Manya Krobo District and another in the New Juaben North District. According to him, the office is focused on ensuring the safety and well-being of the public, which is why they are conducting the exercises. Madam Philomina Quayson, the Eastern Regional Blood Donor Organiser at the Regional Hospital, said that the number of participants in the exercise in the two districts surpassed their goal of 300. This is a positive development compared to last year’s turnout of 200. She also explained the process of screening blood donors, which involves checking their blood pressure, age, weight, infection status, and haemoglobin level, after which the blood was sent to the technical room for screening and evaluation. She urged the public to visit hospitals and donate blood to help replenish the blood bank.

Source: Ghana News Agency