The Young Christian Workers Movement (YCWM), in partnership with the 37 Military Hospital, has begun a blood donation exercise at Christ the King Church in Accra on April 21.
The exercise, aimed at replenishing the Blood Bank of Ghana, hopes to address instances of low to no blood supply in contrast to the high demand for blood in the Blood Bank.
A clinical psychologist at the 37 Military Hospital, Lieutenant Colonel Tenteh, emphasized the importance of corporate bodies supporting such movements to help alleviate the high costs associated with such donation exercises.
He further urged the public to refrain from believing and promoting superstitious beliefs that undermine the purpose of a blood donation exercise. He assured the public of the professional handling of donated blood and encouraged them to dispel any fears associated with it.
“People have their misgivings and misconceptions about blood donations based on various influences. We are shaped by society and various beliefs, some merely hearsay. However, it’s important to remember that we work in a professional environment where strict regulations govern our practices. Just as I can’t disclose your medical secrets, similarly, rules govern the use of blood and blood products in medical practice…”
Additionally, he appealed to the public to participate actively in such exercises to assist patients in emergency and surgical conditions.
The President of the YCWM, Madam Lucy Dzata, underscored the significance of the donation exercise in supporting society. She noted that the exercise, which commenced over a decade ago as part of a Leukaemia project, has grown significantly over the years to serve as a means of supporting health facilities with blood donations. “This project started when we initiated a Leukaemia Project about ten to fifteen years ago… As we began the project, we realized the need for blood donations for Leukaemia patients, hence the inception of the donation drive.” She expressed hopes of collecting one hundred pints of blood to support the Blood Bank by the end of the day.
She also mentioned that the YCWM has established partnerships with the Police Hospital, the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital), and the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital annually, conducting donation drives in April and October respectively. “During that period, Korle-Bu required a penta head microscope, which we procured for them. It cost us over twenty thousand dollars, but we managed to raise funds from parishioners to acquire it. Since then, we’ve been conducting blood donations every year.”