The Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) has introduced an automated IH500 Immuno-haematology screening system to enhance blood safety and improve turnaround time in transfusion services.
  
The system automates ABO/Rh grouping, antibody screening and cross-matching using column agglutination technology. It is expected to significantly reduce human error and cut turnaround time from over 180 minutes to less than 50 minutes.
   
The development was highlighted during the commemoration of World Blood Donor Day 2026, themed “One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives,” organised by the Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion to promote awareness and honour regular donors.
   
The Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo, represented by the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Prof. Ayodeji Oluwole, said voluntary blood donors remain the “silent heartbeat” sustaining surgeries, emergency care and survival outcomes for mothers and children.
  
He explained that although Nigeria has more than 100 million eligible blood donors, supply remains critically low, with many hospitals operating on blood stocks that barely last 24 hours. He noted that LUTH, a major referral centre receiving cases from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, manages over 1,050 inpatients daily and performs about 100 surgeries weekly.
  
Adeyemo said the hospital requires between 20,000 and 25,000 units of blood and blood components annually to meet demand arising from trauma cases, cancer treatment, obstetric emergencies, sickle cell complications and chronic anaemia.
   
He acknowledged that reliance on family replacement donation systems has long made the blood supply unpredictable, stressing the need to transition fully to a voluntary donor-driven system.
  
According to him, LUTH has strengthened donor mobilisation through expanded voluntary donor recruitment desks, dedicated mobilisation zones and partnerships with corporate organisations, faith-based groups and tertiary institutions.
   
He disclosed that more than 2,500 new voluntary donors have been recruited since January 2025. The hospital, he added, is focused on increasing donor retention from 10 per cent to 60 per cent within the next 24 months through structured follow-up and engagement strategies.
  
To encourage repeat donations, LUTH has introduced a donor loyalty recognition programme offering health screening benefits, certificates and annual awards for regular donors.
   
On clinical efficiency, Adeyemo said the hospital has established a Hospital Transfusion Committee focused on Patient Blood Management (PBM), aimed at reducing unnecessary transfusions by about 15 per cent while ensuring optimal patient outcomes.
  
He also highlighted major safety upgrades, including a mandatory quality management system aligned with African Society of Blood Transfusion standards and enhanced screening for HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and syphilis using ELISA-based automation.
  
According to him, the new transfusion technology places LUTH among the most advanced transfusion centres in West Africa, ensuring patients receive blood that is safe, compatible and accurately matched.
  
Despite these gains, he identified persistent challenges, including low repeat donation rates, intermittent shortages of O-negative blood, funding gaps for donor mobilisation activities and widespread misconceptions about blood donation.
   
He called for stronger government and partner support, stressing that “patient safety is not negotiable,” while urging Nigerians aged 17 to 65 years and weighing more than 50 kilograms to embrace regular voluntary blood donation.
   
The Head of the Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Dr Titilope Adeyemo, warned that blood shortages continue to threaten patient care nationwide. She said many hospitals operate with blood stocks that last only 24 hours, far below the recommended 10-day reserve capacity.
  
She noted that inadequate voluntary donation often fuels unsafe commercial donation practices, where donors may conceal health conditions, and urged Nigerians to donate regularly, stressing that eligible individuals can safely donate every four months.
  
She reaffirmed the importance of repeat voluntary donation, noting that it ensures a predictable blood supply, safer donor history tracking and improved emergency preparedness.
  
The Coordinator of the Voluntary Blood Donor Recruitment Unit, Adeyinka Adewale, said voluntary donors helped save an estimated 3,000 lives in the past year.

He noted that only about three per cent of eligible Nigerians donate blood regularly, while LUTH’s voluntary donation rate stands at approximately 12 per cent.
   
Adewale added that youth participation has improved, with a 10 per cent increase in first-time donors since 2025. However, he stressed that the system still relies heavily on repeat donors to maintain stability.
  
He urged Nigerians to support blood drives in workplaces, schools and religious centres, while helping to dispel myths that blood donation weakens the body or causes illness.
  
According to him, a single blood donation can save up to three lives, underscoring the need to build a culture of sustained, non-remunerated voluntary blood donation across the country.