MTN organizes annual blood donation
By Christabel Oboshie ANNAN & Zeenatu ABUBAKAR, Accra
MTN Ghana Foundation has organized its annual nationwide blood donation exercise to help stock the National Blood Bank in Accra.
The exercise, dubbed the ‘Save a Life Campaign,’ was held on Valentine’s Day to mobilize partners and customers of MTN and to encourage the public to voluntarily donate blood.
The initiative took place simultaneously at the MTN House in Accra and designated bleeding centers across the country.
Adwoa Wiafe, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer of MTN Ghana, stated that the goal of the exercise is to support the National Blood Bank and various regional and district health facilities in the country.
She expressed that it serves as a great way to raise awareness and demonstrate commitment to community health.
Adwoa Wiafe highlighted the concern that voluntary blood donations constitute only 28.6% of the national blood supply, with maternal health being a primary casualty of insufficient blood.
Through the annual campaign, she indicated that MTN Ghana has supported the National Blood Bank and addressed challenges they face, showing gratitude to the supportive society that breathes life into their company.
Acknowledging remarkable milestones, she stated that they have collected over 26,000 units of blood and earned recognition as one of the top corporate blood donors in the country.
Last year, she revealed that the company donated over 6,000 units of blood and aims to surpass that by collecting 7,000 units this year.
She shared that MTN Ghana has established 38 bleeding centers nationwide, with four in Accra, 10 in the Southwest and Eastern parts, and 24 spanning from Kumasi to the Northern, Upper East, and Upper West regions.
Dr. Steve Paintsil, Medical Officer at the National Blood Service Kole-Bu, underscored the importance of the initiative and strongly advocated for voluntary unpaid blood donation and regular contributions.
He explained that Ghana’s blood supply system relies on a combination of voluntary unpaid donations and replacement donations from family and friends.
Despite the challenges of COVID-19, he said that there has been a consistent increase in voluntary donations, with figures rising to 28.6% in 2023 from 17% during the pandemic.
