Mrs. Oluwadamilola Oyedunle, the Programme Director of the Timilehin Leukaemia Foundation (TLF), has raised concerns over Lagos State’s inadequate blood bank capacity to handle emergency medical situations. She highlighted this issue during an event in Lagos held in conjunction with TLF’s street walk and awareness campaign for the September Day Blood Donation Drive, aimed at supporting leukaemia patients.
Oyedunle emphasised that the vague and challenging symptoms of leukaemia make early detection difficult, with the disease accounting for over 300,000 deaths worldwide. She pointed out that, in light of frequent emergency situations in Lagos, the state is ill-equipped to meet the critical blood needs of patients requiring urgent interventions.
“We are appealing to compassionate Nigerians to support voluntary blood donations, which can save the lives of leukaemia patients,” Oyedunle urged. “Regrettably, Lagos State lacks the necessary infrastructure to meet the blood requirements of patients in emergency scenarios. This deficiency was painfully evident during a recent accident involving a BRT bus and a train, where many injured individuals couldn’t access blood from the banks, contributing to higher mortality rates. We believe these situations are preventable.”
She also highlighted another accident involving a BRT bus, where victims had to frantically search for blood across multiple hospitals, emphasising the urgency of addressing this issue.
Furthermore, Oyedunle stressed that Lagos State, given its substantial population, needs to intensify public awareness efforts regarding blood donation to ensure blood banks are adequately stocked.
“There is a need for heightened awareness, especially in a densely populated state like Lagos. We must be prepared for emergencies,” she asserted. “Lagos has a significant pool of potential blood donors, but we lack the required awareness. With increased awareness, people will willingly donate. If Lagos State can encourage at least 10 per cent of its residents to donate blood, we would make substantial progress and potentially bridge the gap.”
TLF remains committed to raising awareness and educating the public on the significance of voluntary blood donations. The foundation aims to emphasise the importance of these donations and promote their role in saving lives.
One participant, Miss Rosemary Eyo, expressed her enthusiasm for participating in this life-saving initiative. She encouraged more Nigerians to join the cause, emphasising the importance of donating blood to replenish blood banks.
Another participant, Adetimilehin Ayinde, commended TLF’s founder, Mrs. Modupe Bamidele, for her selfless dedication to saving lives, particularly those of leukaemia patients.
TLF is scheduled to conduct a blood donation drive on September 4th in Ikeja, as part of their ongoing efforts to support those in need.
