MHC takes up blood shortage issue at Korle-Bu

The Maternal Health Channel (MHC), a reproductive health media outlet, has expressed concern about a report that the Blood Bank of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital could run out of stock in a week.

Mr Samuel Nunoo, Head of Blood Donor Recruitment at the Hospital says the demand for blood is so much that the medical facility cannot shoulder the task.

“So what we have now will go for maybe two, three or a week’s time,” he stressed.

A statement issued by Betty B. Ackah, Publicity Officer of MHC and copied to Ghana News Agency said: “This is a critical moment for Ghana as the whole health system especially surgical operations depends on the availability of blood.

“This week’s story on Maternal Health Channel Television to be broadcast on GTV and TV3 is precisely on this problem. Our Roving Filming Crew goes behind the scenes of Korle- Bu Teaching Hospital to bring you this unique report.

“It reveals the real situation at the National Blood Bank at Korle- Bu and raises critical issues which are pertinent to resolving this major health challenge, “the statement said.

A key aspect of the problem is that voluntary donation in the country is very low and in view of it MHC has produced and will this week premier two special commercials appealing to Ghanaians to donate blood in order to save the lives of their fellow citizens.

“MHC is making a special appeal to all broadcasters to air these messages in support of this critical national mission,” the statement said.

In a statement, Mawuli Afatsiawo, the award winning filmmaker who directed the commercials points out that “Blood cannot be manufactured, so when a person needs blood, only another person can help”.

In the first commercial, a young girl who is anaemic takes a bowl and tries to manufacture blood by mixing tomato paste and water.

She takes it to her doctor to be transfused, but the doctor politely explains that in spite of her efforts, tomato paste is not a substitute for blood. She needs a real person to donate blood thus a blood donor.

The country’ s Blood Bank this week’s MHC story is on GTV on Thursday at 8pm and on TV3 Friday at 8.30pm.