Global Shapers, Kano host 2017 annual blood drive

Kano Shapers, a member of the of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community, in collaboration with the Sickle Cell Aid Foundation (SCAF) and others have Saturday hosted its 2017 annual blood donation exercise in Kano, Nigeria which witnessed significant turn out of volunteer donors.

“Every blessed day, people get into trouble because they can’t access enough blood or the right type of blood,” says Tina Balewa, an activist and one of the volunteer blood donors at Saturday’s exercise. “So, I feel donating blood is very vital to the survival of many.”

Balewa who debunked  various misconceptions about donating blood encouraged those that think blood should not be donated to do so because “you are in no way disadvantaged by donating blood, blood rejuvenates on its own, it take nothing away from you as it rejuvenates almost immediately; there is no health risk whatsoever.”

Abubakar Bunza, the curator of Global Shapers’ Kano hub said the exercise which was in its fourth year was in commemoration of the World Blood Donor Day and had witnessed progressive increase in turnout over the years thus attracting sustained partnerships with leading hospitals in Kano city.

Rukayya Sani, a medical doctor and a shaper as well who says voluntarily donated blood was desirous in saving the lives of victims of accidents, women bleeding from childbirth-related complications, and people suffering from sickle cell anemia, among other diseases added that the safest means of sourcing blood to replenish blood banks was by people donating it voluntarily.

It was in recognition of the strategic importance of people having timely access to safe blood in saving life and achieving healthcare delivery – Goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals –that in 2004 the UN declared every June 14 as World Blood Donor Day “to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products, and to thank blood donors for their voluntary, life-saving gifts of blood.”