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Ghana’s blood supply falls short of annual needs — NBS
Ghana faces a severe shortfall in blood supply, collecting far less than the 300,000 units required annually, according to the National Blood Service (NBS).
Despite a population exceeding 30 million, annual collections remain under 200,000 units, typically around 180,000.
Dr Dilys John-Teye, Acting Head of the Southern Zonal Blood Centre, revealed this during an interview with the Ghana News Agency at the launch of the 2025 Nationwide Blood Donation Campaign by the Melcom Care Foundation in Accra.
The exercise is scheduled for Wednesday, July 23, at four selected schools; Thursday, July 24, across Melcom stores nationwide; and Saturday, July 26, at Accra, Achimota, and West Hills Malls, as well as the Melcom Mall at Spintex.
Dr John-Teye said fewer than 50 per cent of donations are from voluntary, non-remunerated donors.
“Many patients in need of blood, especially mothers in labour, accident victims, and children with severe anaemia, do not receive transfusions on time simply because the blood is not available,” she lamented.
Dr John-Teye explained that ideally, one per cent of the population should donate annually, adding that the ongoing reliance on family replacement donations reflects the national deficit.
“The ideal situation is for blood to be available in hospitals at all times, ready to be administered when emergencies strike. But the reality is that hospitals often run low, and patients are left waiting or turned away,” she added.
Describing hospital-led blood collection as “unfortunate but necessary,” she urged healthy individuals aged 17 to 60 to donate regularly to ease the strain on the health system and reduce preventable deaths.
Dr Ramesh Sadhwani, Managing Director of the Melcom Group of Companies, said the firm has partnered with the National Blood Service for over a decade to promote voluntary donations.
The company’s contribution has grown from 434 units in 2013 to 2,184 in 2023.
“Melcom’s commitment goes beyond corporate social responsibility; it reflects our values of compassion, patriotism, and service to humanity,”
He called on individuals, corporate bodies, and institutions to support the initiative and help cultivate a culture of voluntary blood donation across the nation. –GNA