The National Blood Service Agency (NBSA) has issued a critical appeal to Nigerians, urging them to embrace voluntary blood donation to address a severe and life-threatening national shortage. The call coincides with the marking of Nigeria's National Blood Donor Day on December 8.
A National Crisis in Blood Supply
In a sobering assessment, the agency disclosed that Nigeria requires between 1.8 and 2 million units of blood every year to meet the needs of its population. However, the current collection system is failing dramatically, gathering less than a quarter of that target from voluntary, unpaid donors.
The Director-General of the NBSA, Prof. Saleh Yuguda, explained the dire consequences of this shortfall in an interview. He highlighted that Nigeria bears one of the world's heaviest burdens from conditions that demand urgent blood transfusions. These include maternal haemorrhage during childbirth, road traffic accidents, severe childhood anaemia, sickle cell disease crises, and cancer treatments.
The Risks of Replacement and Commercial Donation
Currently, the majority of blood collected in Nigeria comes from family replacement donors—where a patient's relatives are asked to donate—and from commercial donors who are paid. The NBSA warns that these sources are less reliable and pose greater safety risks to the blood supply chain compared to voluntary, altruistic donations.
Voluntary donors, who give blood without pressure or payment, are typically healthier and more truthful about their medical history, leading to a safer blood product for patients. The agency's push is to shift the national culture towards this more sustainable and safe model of donation.
Why a National Blood Donor Day for Nigeria?
While the world observes World Blood Donor Day on June 14, the Federal Government established December 8 as Nigeria's own National Blood Donor Day. Prof. Yuguda clarified that this separate observance was necessary to confront the country's unique challenges head-on.
"The Federal Government decided that Nigeria must have a home-grown platform to raise awareness, deepen community engagement, and domesticate the culture of voluntary donation," he stated. The day is intended to foster a local movement that directly addresses the specific gaps in Nigeria's blood supply system, which global campaigns alone cannot fix.
The NBSA's appeal is clear: for the health system to function and save lives, Nigerians must step forward willingly and regularly to donate blood. The establishment of a national day is a strategic step towards building that life-saving culture from the ground up.
