Lagos State government deploys newly-procured bloodmobile vehicle

The Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service (LSBTS) has begun the deployment of newly-procured bloodmobile donation vehicle to ensure adequate supply of safe blood for transfusion and in continuation of the voluntary donation drives embarked on earlier in the month.

Executive Secretary of the LSBTS, Dr. Bodunrin Osikomaiya, who disclosed this at the headquarters of Ibile Oil and Gas, Ikoyi, Lagos, where the blood mobile vehicle was deployed, said the procurement of the mobile blood donation centre would aid blood donor drives and ease the conduct of community blood donation outreach campaign across the state.

She said: “The governor magnanimously approved the procurement of this specialised vehicle to help in meeting the state’s blood demand and ensure adequate supply of safe blood for transfusion in Lagos.”

Osikomaiya explained that the bloodmobile, which was designed, configured and assembled out of a new coaster bus by a local engineer based in Lagos, has some remarkable features typical of a standard blood donation centre, including compartments for registration and blood donor procedure, post donation and relaxation spot, blood storage compartment, two electrical donor chairs and an inbuilt air conditioner.

“With this specialised vehicle, our team can conduct donor drives in Lagos communities and public places seamlessly without the encumbrances of having to improvise and repeat set up of blood donation procedures for every donor drive.

“We sincerely appreciate the governor for this gift and we promise to reciprocate by increasing our donor drives, recruiting more voluntary blood donors and ensuring that only safe blood is collected and transfused in the state,” she added.

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary has tasked citizens to donate blood voluntarily to ensure availability of safe blood and blood products for transfusion in health facilities across the State.

Emphasising the huge demand for blood and the need for voluntary blood donation, Osikomaiya disclosed that about 37 per cent of the population are eligible and clinically fit to donate blood, stressing that someone is always in need of blood every two seconds.

She noted that one pint of donated blood can save three lives, adding that this is why efforts are being intensified by the state government to meet and surpass the state blood requirement through recruiting and retaining voluntary blood donors.

“Voluntary blood donors are heroes who deserve to be celebrated every day because the gift they give is the gift of life. We encourage citizens to join this league of life savers by donating voluntarily,” she said.

Osikomaiya stated that the benefits of donating blood are numerous, adding that voluntary blood donation gives a psychological upliftment and improvement in the state of mental health.

She said: “Blood donation helps to stimulate production of more blood thus maintaining good health, voluntary blood donors have access to blood without demand for replacement from LBSTS blood banks.

“Your blood is tested for hemoglobin, packed cell volume (blood level), viral diseases, blood group, Rhesus factor and genotype. It may uncover potential health problems such as elevated blood levels and low blood levels.

“It also helps to maintain iron stores at healthy levels, which is linked to low cancer risk and give an opportunity to blood donors to have their clinical vitals done, including blood pressure, pulse rate, weight and height.”

She, therefore, enjoined citizens who are in good general health and between the ages of 18 and 65 years to imbibe the culture of voluntary blood donation and donate blood at least once every three months.

While noting that the bloodmobile will be going round the state, especially to the public places on donor drives, the Executive Secretary stated that citizens can also work into any of LSBTS dedicated voluntary blood donation centres at General Hospital, Lagos and General Hospital, Gbagada or the voluntary blood donation centre at the Accident and Emergency Centre located at the old Toll Gate and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, to donate blood.

“Citizens can also walk into any of our blood banks inside the General Hospitals in Lagos State to donate voluntarily,” she said.