Found this extremely important posting on Naijablog. Just as important is to ask Nigerians and Africans in the Diaspora to become organ donors. I know quite a few country men on waiting lists for kidneys etc. No easy wait…our people do not donate blood, and do not sign up to be organ donors. Who pays the price? You guessed right!
Africans have a greater-than-average need for organ and tissue transplantation because of the relatively high incidence in this population of certain medical conditions that can cause permanent organ damage, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and kidney disorders.
Read this and act…now!
Hello,
Please help me save lives.
How?
By donating blood.
Why?
Because people are dying daily from unavailability of blood. And it is not for want of our trying.
A high percentage of maternal deaths (i.e. death during pregnancy and childbirth) is as a result of bleeding that could easily have been treated by prompt blood transfusion. Just last weekend, I had 2 very ill women who needed blood, whose blood group was not available in the hospital. It was only by the vigilance of the head of haematology (blood services) who called all over the state to get blood that these women’s lives were saved. I have hundreds more of such
stories of women who were not so lucky.
How can you help?
Please make a date to come and give blood. A healthy adult can give a pint of blood (500ml or one third of a big bottle of Eva water) every 6 months with no problems whatsoever.
Also, please mobilise friends, family, employees, colleagues, church members, mosque members, etc to donate now AND REGULARLY. The muslim associations in the Luth community are excellent and donate blood on a regular basis.
Will it disturb your schedule and is it safe? It takes less than 45 minutes and is also done on a
Saturday. The hours are Monday – Saturday 8am to 6pm, Blood Bank Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos. If you can organise more than 10 people in your location, arrangements can be made for people to come out to your office, etc.
I gave blood on Wednesday the 22nd and i went on to continue working for the rest of the day. You need to drink a lot of fluid after and refrain from strenous exercise or activity. The only discomfort is the slight pain from an initial finger prick (to ascertain you have enough blood in you) and the needle that goes into your to take the blood. I am sure you will agree that the benefits far outweigh the inconvenience.
Sorry about the long email but please give your blood and save lives. Because you can.
Please contact me if you have any questions. Thank you.
Bosede
Dr Bosede B Afolabi
Consultant/Senior Lecturer
Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
College of Medicine/Lagos University Teaching Hospital
Lagos, Nigeria.
bosedeafolabi2003@yahoo.com
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has…Margaret Mead
You make an important point: there isn’t enough blood and organs for people of African descent.
I’m not sure if you are aware, but Nigerians in the diaspora are often prevented from giving blood even if they want to.
Many blood organizations in thhe UK and the US have gone from 3 month restrictions for those who recently visited malaria hotspots to outright lifetime bans. If you were born in Africa you can pretty much forget about giving blood in the US.