Blood Donation Very imperative in saving lives – Dr. Omietimi
Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, (FMC) Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Dr. James Omietimi has reiterated the importance of blood in human existence.
Dr. Omietimi, who reiterated this when he spoke to New Waves in Yenagoa, described blood as the livewire of every human being and that without it nobody can survive.
He urged healthy individuals to cultivate the habit of donating blood periodically to save human lives, adding that one can donate blood every three months as there is always ways to replace the blood lost.
According to the FMC MD, “If you donate a pint of blood today, within 24 hours your body will replace the blood. After 120 days, the red blood cells in our body will be replenished whether one donates blood or not.
“However it is better for you to donate blood to save lives as it enhances your health the more frequently you donate blood”, he noted.
Dr. Omietimi highlighted that due to the significance of the human blood, 14th of June every years is set aside to celebrate World Blood Donor’s Day, adding that the theme for the 2024 edition “20 Years of Celebrating Giving: Thank You Blood Donors” was very apt.
He stressed the importance of regular donors and recipients to always go for check up every three months so that if there are any complication, it would be easy to detect and the affected person treated.
The MD further pointed out that it is very important for someone between the age of 17 – 65 years in this our clinic, who weighs about 60kg and in good health not to engage in monthly sexual activities, drunkenness and other anti-social activities, when they are regular blood donors.
He explained that children and pregnant women need blood, noting that during delivery women lose a lot of blood and so it is important for people to donate blood to saves in the society.
“People should come out to donate blood because it is beneficial. If it’s not you, it may be your family members, relations or friends. And once your name is mentioned, as a regular donor, those related to you will be treated immediately,” Dr. Omietimi added.
In his contribution, Acting Medical Director, Laboratory Services, FMC, Dr. Ahmed Saibakimo, said blood donation is very essential in any society, mostly among the indigents.
Dr. Saibakumo urged people to donate blood and not to allow the issue become only preclusive rights of commercial donors or paid donors, explaining that it does not augur well for any society.
“Commercial donors may not give you their real life history because some of them may be commercial sex workers, so the most reliable ones to donate blood are the unpaid donors,” he said.
Also speaking, a donor, Mr. Nengi Iyeritei, disclosed that he always pleased when donating blood to save the lives of people in the society.
According to Iyeritei, it is a service to humanity because donating his blood for the people is a way of contributing to the society.
He encouraged people to come out in their numbers to support in donating blood to save more lives in the state.
