By Uloma Peace Okorie
The Director-General of the National Blood Service Agency (NBSA), Prof Saleh Yuguda, has made a passionate appeal to Nigerians to voluntarily donate blood, emphasizing that the need goes far beyond just victims of road traffic accidents.
Speaking during a media briefing in Abuja, Prof Yuguda called on members of the public to support the national blood supply by donating blood to help save the lives of women and children, who are frequently in need of transfusions during childbirth complications and childhood illnesses.
“Blood donation is not only for accident victims. Thousands of women, especially during childbirth, and children suffering from various conditions rely on timely blood transfusion to survive,” he stated.
Prof Yuguda also discouraged the practice of donating blood in exchange for financial incentives, saying that it undermines the core principle of voluntary and safe blood donation.
“We do not encourage blood donation for financial gain. It is a humanitarian act, and it must remain so,” he said.
“Blood Donation Is Not Evil” — DG Clears Misconceptions
The NBSA boss denounced long-standing cultural and religious misconceptions that portray blood donation as evil or spiritually dangerous.
“Let me state clearly — blood donation is not evil. It saves lives. No one should be afraid to donate out of fear or misinformation,” Prof Yuguda declared.
He further appealed to Nigerian journalists to become active advocates of blood donation by helping to raise awareness, dispel myths, and educate the public on its importance.
“The media plays a critical role. We need your voices to amplify this message and change mindsets. Without you, we cannot reach the grassroots effectively,” he said.
Agency Faces Rural Staffing Challenges, Signs MoU with LGAs
Prof Yuguda highlighted several challenges facing the NBSA, particularly the shortage of trained personnel in rural areas. He noted that out of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas, many still lack trained staff and functional blood collection or storage facilities.
To address this, he announced that the NBSA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the leadership of local governments across the country to ensure the agency has a presence in at least one facility per LGA for blood collection and storage.
“This partnership is a major step forward in decentralizing our services and ensuring equitable access to safe blood,” he said.
Solar-Powered Blood Refrigeration Now in Use
In a significant infrastructural upgrade, Prof Yuguda revealed that the agency is moving away from reliance on the national grid for power supply, by adopting solar-powered blood bank refrigerators, especially in rural and underserved areas.
“Unreliable electricity has always been a problem. But we’ve now deployed solar-powered systems to maintain the safety and shelf-life of stored blood,” he explained.
Controlled Hypertension and Diabetes Not a Barrier
Addressing concerns around eligibility, the NBSA boss clarified that people living with controlled hypertension or controlled diabetes are eligible to donate blood.
“If your blood pressure or blood sugar is well-managed, you can safely donate. We encourage more people in this category to come forward,” he said.
Call to Action
Prof Yuguda concluded by reiterating that blood donation is a shared responsibility and urged all Nigerians to see it as a civic duty that could one day save the life of a loved one.