Blood shortage hits Eastern Region Hospital, staff forced to donate

The Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua is facing an acute shortage of blood.

The distressing situation has compelled the Medical Director of the Hospital, Dr Arko Akoto Ampaw and some staff to donate pints of blood to save lives.

As at Friday, October 16, 2020, the Hospital had only Seven pints of blood at the blood bank.

“It was so critical. We weren’t having at all. So by Department by Department, we started donating and I can say on record that I donated a pint of blood not too long ago in the campaign. So we call on all of you including the media, you can organize yourself and come so that we take the blood from you” the Medical Director said in an interaction with the media in Koforidua.

Dr.Akoto Ampaw attributed the acute shortage of pints of blood in the facility to Coronavirus pandemic which led to closure of educational institutions particularly Second Cycle Schools which are major blood donors.

He regretted that several efforts made to reach out to the public to donate blood have not yielded any positive response.

The dire blood shortage if not earnestly improved would endanger lives of pregnant mothers and accident victims who need blood transfusion to survive.

Ghana has failed to achieve the 100 per cent voluntary blood donation status as required by the World Health Organisation (WHO) albeit increasing demand for blood transfusion.

Statistics from the WHO indicates that only 62 countries globally have almost achieved the 100 per cent of their national blood supplies from voluntary unpaid blood donations, with thirty-four others still dependent on family replacement blood donors.

Government of Ghana’s delay in passing the National Blood Service Bill, which seeks to provide the requisite legal framework to accelerate progress towards 100 per cent voluntary blood donation,is compounding the situation in the country.