By Mercy Akuba
As part of its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), in line with the United Nations Agenda, the National Association of Seadogs (NAS), Benbow Deck has made a freewill blood donation to the Blood Bank of the National Blood Service Commission ‘s Zonal Office, located in Benin City.
The gesture is to complement government efforts in attending to patients and pregnant women who visit the NBSC centre.
Mr. George Akpabor, the Second Mate, Benbow Deck, disclosed this at the office of the National Blood Service Commission in Benin City, shortly after donating blood to the blood bank.
Mr Akpabor, who led members of the deck for the blood donation, noted that as a social advocacy group , the exercise became necessary to reduce the low voluntary blood donor rate as declared by the W.H.O. recently.
He added by calling on other social advocacy well-meaning groups to emulate their voluntary acts and mobilize their members who are healthy to come out and donate blood that could be used to save lives.
Speaking also, the Scribe of Benbow Deck, Victor Nna, described the exercise as an amazing one following the professional procedures involved before individuals were allowed to donate blood.
He commended the Laboratory Manager and his staff for diligently screening the blood donors before donating blood.
Victor Nna further called on individuals and other associations to emulate members of NAS by giving back to society.
On his part, Dr Igwuagu Kenneth, a participant, thanked the leadership of his association for creating the enabling environment for the voluntary blood donation, which, according to him, is worth the time.
“I am here with my wife to tell you how important this is to me as part of our social advocacy responsibility; we are the first group to be here and I feel great that I am part of this, just to save lives. You don’t know who may need the blood; so, saving it at the blood bank is necessary, mostly in critical situations.
“I will encourage groups to look in this direction and lend a helping hand to this agency just to increase the statistics of voluntary blood donors.”
Speaking also, the Laboratory Manager, Ebonmwoyi Valentine pointed out that it is the mission of the agency to source safe blood and make it available for people within the Benin metropolis and also part of Delta State.
He commended members of NAS-Benbow Deck, for their patriotism.
According to Mr Valentine, if groups and Associations would emulate the Pyrates confraternity and mobilize their members to voluntarily donate blood to the blood bank, the recent statistics by WHO would change and many lives would also be saved across Nigeria and indeed the globe.
He further commended the leadership of the group and charged them to sustain the patriotic and selfless service to humanity .
High highpoints of the event were members taking their turns to donate their blood .