Palmgrove Estate Rotary Club 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 a blood donation camp at Rubee Medical Centre, Ota, Ogun State.

   The event, which was sponsored by Prestige Assurance Plc., saw more than 40 people responding to the call and submitting themselves to donate their blood to the blood bank. 

   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 outreach would be transferred to the blood bank from where it would be available to those who need them, especially accident victims, sickle sell patients or those having emergency or complicated health cases,” 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 in Lagos.  

   “We are happy that the awareness we created through sending of banners to some factories along Sango Ota expressway, flyers to individuals, engaging social media through Whatsapp, BBM and facebook, 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 comes 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 coordinated 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 this laudable idea has not been pushed by government authorities in the health sector.  

   He also hinged the purpose of the donation on equipping the 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 the Rotary Club of Lagos Palmgrove Estate on several health initiatives.

   “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 here to donate have enough blood as we check their blood and hemoglobin 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,” he noted.