The exercise, initiated by the social responsibility wing of telecommunication giants MTN Ghana Foundation in collaboration with the Central Regional Office of the Ghana Broadcasting Cooperation (GBC) was to support the Regional Transfusion Services.

Mr. Martin Ampofo, Regional Blood Organiser of the CCTH who supervised the exercise told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that but for the donation; the Blood Bank of the hospital would have been totally depleted.

He said the hospital currently needed between 20 to 30 pints of blood daily and over 300 pints monthly and encouraged individuals to voluntarily donate blood and not wait until emergency situations adding that there were privileges that came with being a donor.

Donors were offered free health checks before donating blood, he indicated, adding that the donated blood would be screened to ensure it was without HIV, hepatitis B and C or syphilis after which it would be stored for use.

Mr Ampofo mentioned pregnant women, children under five and accident victims as the beneficiaries and commended the donors for their sacrifice.  Mrs Regina Arkaifue, Human Resource Partner for MTN Western and Central Regions, said exercise was necessitated by clarion calls by the National Blood Bank to help solve the perennial blood shortage across the country.

The Regional Director of GBC, Mrs Susana Garbrah said the collaboration with MTN to organise the annual blood donation exercise formed part of the GBC’s social corporate responsibilities.The donation exercise dubbed ‘Save a Life" campaign is the sixth in a series of an annual programme instituted by MTN to celebrate Valentine’s Day.