Thousands of maternal women, cancer patients, children with sickle cell disease, and others who need life-saving blood transfusion are reportedly at risk due to an 80 percent drop in blood collections according to the National Blood Service.
Some Queen Mothers in the country are mobilizing to help through an initiative known as the Champions of Change create awareness on the critical importance of blood donation during the COVID-19 pandemic and also urge members of the communities to donate blood to support the country’s health system.
The initiative includes a social media campaign as well as a one-day workshop on September 7 in Accra organized for the Queen Mothers.
The workshop will deliver tools and strategies around donor recruitment and retention to support Queen Mothers in their community outreach. The goal is to help build capacity for safe, available and accessible blood for patients all over the country.
Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies in partnership with the Global Blood Fund are behind the Champions of Change initiative in Ghana, lending their expertise and support to bring key stakeholders together to create awareness on the critical importance of blood donation during the crisis.
Approximately 80 percent of blood collections in Ghana are from students in secondary and tertiary schools and donations mobilized by faith-based organizations.
However, due to the necessary response to curb the spread of COVID-19, schools have been closed and large religious gatherings reduced, leading to 80% fewer blood collections recorded by the National Blood Service.
“We laud the First Lady and Queen Mothers’ efforts to develop the health infrastructure in your communities and gladly share our global experiences to help craft solutions for you. This is part of our commitment to serving in the communities in which we operate,” said Antoinette Gawin, President and CEO, Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies.
“Each of us has nine pints of blood, and it takes only one pint to save a life.”
Dr. Justina Ansah, CEO at the National Blood Service, Ghana (NBSG), said, “We are optimistic that this campaign will reach far and wide for every healthy Ghanaian to make the decision to donate blood to save a life.”
Champions of Change partners in Ghana include The Rebecca Foundation; the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation; the Institute for Research, Advocacy and Training (INSRAT); and SMART Global.
About Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies
Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies is a medical device company. Our products, software and services enable customers to collect and prepare blood and cells to help treat the challenging diseases and conditions of today and tomorrow. Our associates in more than 130 countries believe in the potential of blood and cells to do even more for patients than they do today. terumobct.com
About Global Blood Fund
Global Blood Fund is a non-profit established in 2008 and registered as a charity in both the US and UK. It is run by practising blood banking professionals who share a deep concern about the huge global inequalities in access to safe blood and a determination to do something about this problem. The aim is simple; to save lives by improving the availability and safety of blood in some of the world’s poorest nations.
About National Blood Service Ghana
The mandate of the National Blood Service, Ghana, is to ensure an effective and coordinated national approach to the provision of safe, adequate and efficacious, blood and blood products, making it timely, accessible and affordable to all patients requiring blood transfusion therapy in both public and private health care institutions in the country.
Queen mother in a group picture