The Blood Programme Organiser of the Tema General Hospital Blood Bank, John Ahadzi, has warned that if the public does not, as a matter of urgency step in to donate blood to the facility, the repercussions would be regrettable.

As of 11 am on Tuesday, the Tema General Hospital Blood Bank had just 40 units of blood, which according to him, was woefully inadequate to meet the needs of the hospital.

According to him, the blood bank had been terribly hit by the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) because individuals and institutions do not donate to them as was the case before possibly for fear of contracting the virus in the process of donating blood.

He noted that also worrying was that religious institution which used to embark on various activities to get more blood for the hospital had ceased to do so.

In an interview with the Ghanaian Times on Sunday on the state of the blood bank in amid the COVID-19, Mr Ahadzi said “now, we are chasing the churches by writing to them but we are not getting any favourable response. So far, only one church has been consistent”.

He said it was worrying that the Tema General Hospital still received accident and other emergency cases, Sickel cell patients and also did various surgeries.

He said because of the services the hospital provided daily, it was important for the public to step in to save lives else more lives might be lost to such situations than the COVID-19.

The Blood Programme Officer assured the public that strict measures were being put in place to ensure that persons who donated blood and staff would not have their health compromised in the process.

“We adhere strictly to the COVID-19 protocol both at the facility and when we go out, so I am inviting everybody to come and support us to save lives,” he said.

He appealed to all able persons to go to their facility to donate blood.

Mr Ahadzi said every person who was 17 years and above, male or female, who weighs at least 50 kilogrammes qualified to donate blood.