Authorities at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) say the facility’s blood bank has been adversely affected as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Authorities say they are unable to organize mass donation exercises which have been the main source of blood supply.
Speaking to Citi News‘ Ashanti Regional Correspondent, Edward Marfo, the Head of Transfusion Medicine at the hospital, Dr. Shirley Owusu-Ofori said the global pandemic has negatively affected blood supply worldwide.
She says their blood bank used to rely on blood donations from churches, schools and other groups but since there is a ban on public gatherings, such groups are unable to support in the form of mass donations.
As part of measures to restock the National Blood Bank, Dr. Shirley Owusu-Ofori said they have adopted a strategy where voluntary blood donors are being contacted to donate, and are given exemption passes which allow them to visit the hospital even during the lockdown.
She appealed to members of the general public to donate blood as they say they are set to mount stands at some vantage points within some municipalities in Kumasi where people can donate while observing the necessary precautionary measures.
“I take this opportunity to reiterate the message of the President to the people of Ghana. He has said it on countless occasions that we are not in normal times. Indeed we are not in normal times as a blood service as well. We rely on the benevolence of donors who have given before to continue to walk in with our passes to give blood to save lives.”
“We even rely more on donors who have never given blood before that this is a good time to show solidarity and to respond to our civic call. The measures of safety are in place and will ensure the safety of every donor who walks into a blood centre to give blood.”
