National Telescope national telescope newspaper
The Lagos State Government has reduced the fee for blood transfusions for residents to cushion the effect of current economic realities, a statement has said.
Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service, Bodunrin Osikomaiya, stated this during the stakeholder engagement and media chat titled, ‘Role of media in promoting blood donation.’
The event was held in commemoration of the 2023 National Blood Donor Day on Thursday.
She said, “The current economic realities, including the unfavourable foreign exchange and the resultant increase in prices of goods, services, and manpower, inflation, the importation of all consumables and equipment, and the urgent automation of blood screening, have caused an increase in the screening fees.
“A payment of N6,500 per unit of safe blood for transfusion was made by the state government to ease the burden on the patients.
“However, blood will be made available without payment of screening for vulnerable like accident victims from Lagos State and Emergency Centre, indigents, patients with sickle cell anaemia, burns and trauma, and those involved in disaster,” she said.
“The World Health Organisation needs to state that we need at least one percent of the population of the state to meet the needs of the country. Right now, we are meeting about 60 percent of what they mandate.
“Blood donors are safe because a series of tests are done before blood is transfused, so as to be sure if the donor is safe to embark on the kind gesture. There is nothing to be afraid of because voluntary blood donors save lives and enjoy health, including free medical tests.”
