By Jibril Abdul Mumuni
Accra, Oct. 11, GNA – Dr Nana Kweku Nduom, President of Groupe Nduom Ghana, has urged corporate organisations to institutionalise annual blood donation exercises to address the nation’s perennial blood shortage challenges.
He emphasised that regular corporate-led donations are essential to ensure the National Blood Bank maintains adequate stocks, moving away from the often reactive and crisis-driven appeals for specific blood types.
Dr Nduom made the appeal during the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel’s annual blood donation exercise, a tradition carried out in partnership with the National Blood Bank.
The exercise saw staff from the hotel and its affiliated Groupe Nduom companies voluntarily donating blood.
The annual event, which was temporarily halted during the COVID-19 pandemic, is a demonstration of the Groupe’s strong belief in corporate social responsibility and giving back to the community.
The call comes against the backdrop of significant challenges faced by the National Blood Service (NBS).
Ghana continues to fall short of its annual blood collection targets, with inadequate voluntary non-remunerated donors being a major hurdle.
The over-reliance on family replacement donors, as well as prevailing public misconceptions and fears about blood donation, also compounds the difficulty in securing a stable and safe national blood supply.
“We are here to save lives. Every once in a while, we get these messages saying that this person is at this hospital, we need type O, we need type A. And those things really shouldn’t be necessary. We should have enough blood everywhere,” he said.
Dr Nduom encouraged other organisations, churches, and institutions to follow suit, stressing; “I think it’s just important that you just, whenever you have the opportunity, you give blood. You can save a life.”
He urged all clients, employees, and directors to participate in the life-saving effort, reiterating the corporate sector’s moral obligation to support a national asset as critical as the blood bank.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe