Why you should give blood - please circulate
Hello,
Please help me save lives.
How?
By donating blood.
Why?
Because people are dying daily from unavailability of blood. And it is not for want of our trying.
A high percentage of maternal deaths (i.e. death during pregnancy and childbirth) is as a result of bleeding that could easily have been treated by prompt blood transfusion. Just last weekend, I had 2 very ill women who needed blood, whose blood group was not available in the hospital. It was only by the vigilance of the head of haematology (blood services) who called all over the state to get blood that these women's lives were saved. I have hundreds more of such
stories of women who were not so lucky.
How can you help?
Please make a date to come and give blood. A healthy adult can give a pint of blood (500ml or one third of a big bottle of Eva water) every 6 months with no problems whatsoever.
Also, please mobilise friends, family, employees, colleagues, church members, mosque members, etc to donate now AND REGULARLY. The muslim associations in the Luth community are excellent and donate blood on a regular basis.
Will it disturb your schedule and is it safe? It takes less than 45 minutes and is also done on a
Saturday. The hours are Monday - Saturday 8am to 6pm, Blood Bank Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos. If you can organise more than 10 people in your location, arrangements can be made for people to come out to your office, etc.
I gave blood on Wednesday the 22nd and i went on to continue working for the rest of the day. You need to drink a lot of fluid after and refrain from strenous exercise or activity. The only discomfort is the slight pain from an initial finger prick (to ascertain you have enough blood in you) and the needle that goes into your to take the blood. I am sure you will agree that the benefits far outweigh the inconvenience.
Sorry about the long email but please give your blood and save lives. Because you can.
Please contact me if you have any questions. Thank you.
Bosede
Dr Bosede B Afolabi
Consultant/Senior Lecturer
Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
College of Medicine/Lagos University Teaching Hospital
Lagos, Nigeria.
[email protected]
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3 comments:
I wish you luck, Dr Afolabi. You notice this person isn't asking for money or for gifts, but for a commodity that will save countless anonymous lives.
This is proof that our professionals still have a sense of pride in their calling.
In 'civilized' countries, blood drives are undertaken by the appropriate authorities and not through individual pleas from frustrated doctors.
This is such an important piece. Just as important as appealing to those in the diaspora to sign up to be organ donors. Who benefits most when you donate?...your own community of course! Thanks Jeremy for circulating this. Will add it to our Blog @ Nigerian Health Watch...crediting you.
Yes we need awareness about giving blood, but need a uniform system to collect, process, allocate and transport blood so that we don't kill more people than we actually help - ABO incompatibility anyone?
Issues to be addressed:
1. Where/how functional is the Nigerian Red cross?
2. Red blood cells have a lifespan of 120 days, we want to be sure we don't end up throwing most of is collected away.
3. Any existing system for purifying and storing blood products?
I'll hold my peace for now....
Okunrin meta
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