Saint Theresa's Hospital at Nkoranza in the Brong Ahafo Region, has instituted a Family Blood Replacement Plan, where relatives of patients who receive blood will be made to donate to replace it.

Dr Christian Compson, Medical Director of the Hospital who announced this, said the "O" positive and negative blood group are difficult to come by, but gave the assurance that all blood groups are always available.

He made this known in an interaction with Madam Winifred Tienaah, Nkoranza Municipal Director of Health Services, on measures to solve challenges facing blood donation at the hospital.

Dr Compson said: "Naturally, every healthy person lose some blood every month but does not affect the person, therefore healthy people who donate blood replace it within a shorter period.

He said some students from the Nkoranza Senior High Technical School have formed blood donors group to donate blood periodically to support the hospital.

Dr Compson appealed to religious leaders, assembly members, unit committees and civil society organisations to educate the youth to donate blood at the various health facilities in the country, to save lives.

Madam Tienaah appealed to keepfit clubs to consider the plight of the sick and patients and volunteer to donate blood to the blood banks for emergency cases to save lives.

She said donating blood would help minimise maternal mortality, and urged healthy people to volunteer to donate blood to the hospitals.