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Obasanjo canvasses increased budget allocation for NBTS

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday urged the Federal Government to increase budgetary allocation to the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) in view of the vital role blood donation plays in the wellbeing of the citizens. Obasanjo, who made the call when officials of the NBTS paid him a visit at his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State, implored the National Assembly to pass the NBTS Bill in order to ensure that the service “is brought to life.” The former president noted that “blood is life and life is blood” and called for setting up of a national day for blood donation to increase the awareness for blood donation. He also urged the government to give more attention to blood transfusion service to improve the wellbeing of the citizenry.

“I want to join you in thanking the government for the support they are giving you (NBTS), we will have to ask for more. “Part of what we will ask for is that, we will appeal to the government that, please if blood is life and you are all interested in life, give more money into blood transfusion services. “We will also appeal to the government to give them good accommodation, it is important, because if you pay attention to blood, you pay attention to life,” Obasanjo said.

Earlier in his remarks, NBTS National Coordinator, Dr. Omale Joseph Amedu, lamented the poor funding of the service, adding that; “We also lack good office accommodation in all the 17 centres across Nigeria.” According to him, the service requires N3 billion for renovation works and accommodation, N1.960 million for yearly running cost as well as N850.448 million for blood screening reagents for six months. Amedu, however, said NBTS needed to be driven through private-publicpartnership so as to effectively fulfill its mission of making blood available in the country. He added that the NBTS was planning to embark on a project tagged; ‘One Million Safe Blood Unit Initiative’ aimed at creating a National Strategic Safe Blood Reserve.

The project, he said, “will be driven through active donor participation, targeted blood donation campaigns and partnership in order to effectively complement national wellness as well as alleviating the sufferings of humanity as it pertains to Nigeria’s blood needs.” Amedu, however, called on Obasanjo’s continuous advocate for increase public awareness of blood safety in the country and also facilitate investors and international collaborations with the NBTS.

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