Blood Transfusion Centres In Nigeria Poorly Funded, Says NMA

The Nigerian Medical Association has highlighted poor funding, inadequate laws among others as major factors impeding blood transfusion services across the country.

Speaking during a press briefing in commemoration of the 2021 World Blood donor day, in Abuja, the NMA President, Innocent Ujah, noted that transfusion centres across the country were poorly funded and in dire need of an upgrade.

According to him, Nigeria’s annual blood bank currently at one million units is quite a far cry from the World Health Organisation’s national requirement of 2,000,000 units annually.

“The blood transfusion service in Nigeria is plagued by a high rate of commercial blood donation with the attendant risk of Transmission Transmissible Infections.

“Funding to National Blood Transfusion Service centres across the country is poor leading to deficiency in the quality of her operations.

“Laws guiding the practice of blood transfusion medicine in Nigeria are inadequate with the attendant proliferation of quackery and other sharp practices in the sector,” he said.

Speaking further, Ujah said that the blood transfusion services centres located in states are the worst hit since the withdrawal of donor funds by implementing partners as state governments are yet to take full ownership of such centres in their domain.

Ujah called for an urgent passage of the National Blood Service Commission Bill, adding that every hands need to be on deck to ensure the availability and accessibility of safe blood.

He also called for a sustained positive action by all stakeholders towards making voluntary blood donation a culture entrenched in all aspects of lives.