Worried by the acute shortage of blood often required for medical operations in the country, a group of researchers at the University of Ilorin has initiated a study aimed at improving access to blood in Nigerian hospitals.

The research group comprises a Senior Lecturer in Dr. Adekunle G. Salaudeen of the Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin; Dr O. I. Musa, Prof. T. M. Akande, both of the Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Ilorin; Dr. I. A. Durotoye of the Department of Haematology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Ilorin; and Dr. K. A. Durowade of the Department of Community Medicine, Federal Medical Centre, Iddo-Ekiti. The N4.5million-worth Study, sponsored by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), is entitled, "Determinants of Voluntary Blood Donation Practices and Blood Donation Campaign among Adults in North Central Nigeria".

In an interview with Unilorin Bulletin, a key member of the research team, Dr. Salaudeen, lamented the delays in getting blood when needed. He said this has caused needless deaths and brought untold hardships to relations of patients and health professionals manning the hospitals.

Dr. Salaudeen, who is also a Consultant at the Public Health Unit of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), disclosed that only 600,000 units or 30 per cent of the two million units of blood required for operations in Nigerian hospitals are voluntarily donated. He added that "the rest 70 per cent (or 1.4million units), is sourced through unethical and questionable means, including paying blood donors, buying Transmission Transmissible Infections (TTI), borrowing from the hospital with the risk of not paying back especially if the operation fails or relations do not show up again".

He said, "In Nigeria, myths, misconceptions, bias, poverty, ignorance, fear and malnutrition have posed serious threats to voluntary blood donations", pointing out that many people are afraid that their blood could be used for rituals".

Dr. Salaudeen further explained that "others feel malnourished and are not ready to donate blood, which to them is like donating their life. Yet another group donates blood regularly for sale to patients and are operating like a cartel, frustrating voluntary blood donors. They see blood donation as their business and discourage anyone practising it if he does not belong to their group", he further explained.

The Epidemiologist, who had worked on breast cancer, cigarette smoking, violence against women, malaria, poliomyelitis, immunization, and disease surveillance, among others, disclosed that a voluntary blood donation campaign is already on-going in some parts of Kwara and Kogi states "as part of the Study to help educate and inform our people about the importance of voluntarily donating blood and allay fears attached to it".

He said that as part of the campaign, "blood donors are being encouraged to donate blood voluntarily through some reward mechanisms. For instance, every blood donor will know more about his/her blood, the blood group, the genotype, HIV status, PVC level, Hepatitis 'B' or Hepatitis 'C' presence etc. Again, we offer free counselling and referrals to teaching and specialist hospitals for further investigation and management".

The Researcher urged the government to continually create an enabling environment for voluntary non-remunerated blood donation, promising that the Study will foster a culture of voluntary blood donation in the North Central Zone of Nigeria. He added that it would also improve public awareness and acceptance of voluntary blood donation as a social norm.