Medical students donate 500 pints of blood for sickle cell children at LUTH

Medical students donate 500 pints of blood for sickle cell children at LUTH
Worried by the challenge of blood transfusion for children with cancer and sickle cell, the Association of Medical Student University of Lagos (AMSUL) has organised a blood drive exercise to generate pints of blood from the university students.

The convener, a 300-Level medical student at UNILAG, Ossai Jude, said it was out of concern for the plight of children with cancer and sickle cell disease. The aim of the initiative tagged 500 lives, according to Jude, is to produce 500 pints of blood from donors for children with the ailment in the paediatric wards of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

The project was organised by AMSUL in collaboration with LUTH Haematology department and blood circulation body, a brainchild of ‘Project Smile’. Jude said since the donor target is limited to UNILAG, the donations would be taken to LUTH for children with the diseases.

In his words: “I remember the day this project was birthed. I went to the paediatric ward to visit and sympathise with patients. We met a woman with her son who had surgery after chemotherapy the previous year. Her son needed a blood transfusion urgently because his blood count was low. I offered to donate my blood and she could not believe it because she lacked the fund required. Then, I saw that almost all patients in the ward had similar issue.” Jude added that the scenario changed his mind-set.

According to the New Hall Unit Coordinator, Olabayo Esan, awareness about blood donation and transfusion is low. “This is why we organised an awareness program to sensitise people on why they should donate blood often,” he added.