The National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) yesterday advised Nigerians to develop the habit of donating blood as such exercise comes with great health benefits.
Speaking at a Blood Donation event, which was held in collaboration with the WE FM in Abuja, the Deputy Team Leader, Blood Recruitment Department, Mr Peter Ehige said while too much blood causes accumulation of excess iron in the body, donating the blood makes way for the bone marrow to produce fresh red blood cells. Ehige also pointed out that routine donation of blood is one best way to shed weight, as the donor is able to burn good amount of calories.
He said, “ if you stick to the blood donation intervals, for example while men donate blood every three months, women donate every four months, so if an individual stick to this intervals and donate their blood, it helps them to loose 650 calories.”
One of the event Partners, Angela Ochu-Baiye who is also a staff of the WE FM, said the collaboration became paramount after finding out that many Nigerians do not donate blood simply because they are uninformed or scared.
“During one of my programs, someone called in and it was obvious she doesn’t know much about blood type and genotype not to talk of donating blood,” she added.
Ochu-Baiye who encouraged Nigerians to help save a life by donating blood further urged the Federal Government to support the NBTS with adequate finances to enable it function properly.
The NBTS, a unit within Hospital Services Department at the Federal Ministry of Health is saddled with the responsibility of making blood available to various hospital blood banks at very subsidised rate.
Leadership