By Toyin
Adebayo
The National Coordinator, National Blood
Transfusion Service (NBTS), Dr. Oluwatoyin Smith has urged the Federal
Government to make blood safe and affordable to end users in Nigeria.
She said this at a media round-table to
commemorate this year’s World Blood Donor Day organised by MamaYe, recently, in
Abuja.
According to her, cost implication for the
procurement of adequate supplies of blood safety consumables for one quarter of
a year amounts to N100,196,500.
This brings the cost of one unit (pint) of blood
to approximately N34,000, comprising mainly of cost of consumables and
maintenance of cold chain.
She further stated that the need to increase the
Blood Access Fee from N2,000 to N5,000 per unit of screened blood was agreed
upon. This came at the backdrop of concomitant falling oil price and
devaluation of the Naira, resulting in increased foreign exchange rates causing
the cost of essential consumables such as blood bags (usually imported) to rise
astronomically.
Dr. Smith added that they have however sought
approval from the Minister of Health to review upward the Blood Access Fee
(BAF) from N2,000 to N5,000 from June 2017.
Meanwhile, the Acting Country Director, Us Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Nigeria, Dr. Omotayo Bolu said every
June 14, they raise awareness and dispelled myths about blood donation.
“We should not wait until we have an emergency we
should donate blood to safe life of Nigerians. It could be anybody,” she said.
