Rotary Club of Lagos Palmgrove Estate organises Blood Donation Camp

ROTARY Club of Lagos Palmgrove Estate in collaboration with Nigerian Red Cross Society and Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service Committee recently organized blood donation camp at Rubee Medical Centre, Ota, Ogun State.

  The event was sponsored by Prestige Assurance Plc. and more than 40 people responded to the earlier awareness made for the blood donation. 

   The incoming President of the Club, Pradeep Pahalwani, who spoke on behalf of the President, Ramesh Biswal premised the importance of the exercise on saving lives. 

 “Donating blood saves lives and blood donated during this camp would go to blood bank and from blood bank, those in need of blood, including accident victims, sickle sell patients or those having emergency cases as well as those with complicated cases and in need of blood, could draw or benefit from the donation,” he said. 

  Biswal further disclosed that the objective of the blood camp was to collect as much blood as possible for onward transmission to Lagos State Blood Bank while representatives of Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service were also at the camp.   

  “Response has been very encouraging as no less than 40 people have donated blood and we are still expecting more people. 

  “This is the third time we are organizing a programme of this nature but this is the first of its kind in Sango-Ota, Ogun State, while the previous two took place at Isolo, Lagos.  

“We are happy that the awareness we created through sending of banners to some factories along Sango Ota, flyers to individuals, engaging social media through whatsapp, BBM and face-book, all yielded positive results,” he said.

  Biswal said people should know that when they donate blood, they save lives and they are also doing themselves a lot of good as fresh blood would replace the one donated in the body, adding that regular blood donor would be free of diseases.

  “Many people are apprehensive when it coes to donating blood, not realizing the fact that they are doing themselves a lot of good by donating blood as the fresh blood that replaces the one donated makes their bodies to become refreshed and they also become more active and their immune system boosted,” he said.

  The Head of Clinical Services, Rubee Medical Centre Limited, Dr. Vaidya Virjanand,  who co-ordinated the exercise, encouraged Nigerians to donate blood, noting that fresh blood gets back into the body within 24 hours of donation. 

 He lamented the attitude of Nigerians when it gets to the issue of donating blood, which has led to scarcity of blood.

 “This is the only way we can get blood for malaria patients and emergency cases.    “Anybody within the age bracket of 17 and 50 is qualified to donate blood as long as he or she is not infected with any serious disease and not on medication.  

 Anyone, who has been on admission, after one month, could also donate.  

 However, expectant mothers or those that have just given birth to babies should not donate.  There is no need taking blood tonic after donating blood” he said.  

  The Chairman, Projects, Tarun Sanghvi noted the importance of every hospital having blood bank and lamented that opposite has been the case because donation has not been frequent.  

 He also hinged the purpose of the donation on equipping Lagos State Blood Donation Service as well as sensitizing people on the importance of blood donation. 

  A representative of Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service who spoke on condition of anonymity said the agency has always been partnering with Rotary Club of Lagos Palmgrove Estate.

 “Rotary organizes event of this nature three times in a year and we have always been around to collect blood to save lives.  We are impressed about today’s turnout.  We  will ensure those that are to donate have enough blood as we check their blood and haemoglobin levels as well as their body weight and anyone with high-blood pressure case would not be allowed to donate.

“After donation, we give them souvenirs and some things to boost their blood level such as fluid, juice, water and biscuits while we also award certificates for any member of the donor’s family to enjoy the privilege of free blood when tendered.  

“After donation, we undertake test to know the blood group of the donors, genotype, their HIV I and II, Hepatitis and Syphilis”.