Regular blood donation improves body fitness —Institute

Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja

The Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria has said that regular blood donation improves body fitness, lowers calories and helps produce and maintains the required level of iron in the human body.

The Blood Safety Programme Manager of the institute, Abdullahi Abubakar, who disclosed during an event to mark the World Blood Donor Day in Abuja on Friday, said that blood donation helps patients suffering from life-threatening health conditions live longer with a higher quality of life.

He also said that blood donation has an essential life-saving role in maternal child care and during emergency response to man-made and natural disasters, adding that blood donation can also enhance the production of new blood cells.

“When blood is withdrawn, the donor’s body immediately begins to replenish the lost blood within 24 hours of donation. All of the red blood cells the donor loses during donation are completely replaced within one month to two months,” Abubakar stated.

He explained that the best way to ensure safe blood supply was through regular donations by voluntary and unpaid blood donors.

On her part, Mrs. Oluyemi Ehigie of the National Blood Transfusion Service, Abuja, said that it was important to donate blood voluntarily, saying blood in storage is often in short supply.

Ehigie said that only about four people out of 1, 000 in low-income countries donate blood and therefore, called for the need to meet the national supply.

Christopher Erhabo, an official of institute, assured that there was no pain in donating blood, assuring that “I have been donating blood for three years now and I don’t regret it and I am glad my blood has been saving lives.”