A Health Advocacy and Communication outfit, Giant Publicity Media Consult, in collaboration with the National Blood Service, Ghana has launched the 2022 annual Kwahu Blood donation campaign in Accra.

The annual Kwahu blood donation campaign programme is aimed at promoting voluntary blood donation at the community levels, intensifying public education on the need to ensure regular blood donations and supply of blood and blood products in a sustainable manner, as well as raising the consciousness of the donor public on the relevance and health benefits of voluntary blood donation.

The theme for this year’s campaign is: “Give Blood to Save a Mother and Child” and it is scheduled to take place from Friday, April 15 to Sunday, April 17, 2022, at the forecourt of the Kwahu South Municipal Assembly, at Mpraeso Kwahu in the Eastern Region.

According to the organisers of the event, Giant Publicity Media Consult, the decision to focus on health education and blood drive, in particular, is to support the National Blood Service achieve its target of 100% voluntary blood supply by 2025 and to ensure that majority of people are better informed about blood donation as a civic responsibility.  

Manager, responsible for Events and Corporate Relations at Giant Publicity Media Consult, Doris Dansowaa Danquah Puplampu, in an interview with the press said, “It appears the issue of Voluntary Blood donation and non-availability of blood for patients during emergencies is still a challenge to health care delivery in most of the health facilities in Ghana, especially during childbirth."

According to her, such existing challenges among many others were the motivation for her agency, Giant Publicity Media Consult to support the Blood Service in reaching out to the communities around the Kwahu Municipality to intensify advocacy for regular voluntary blood donation.

According to her, Kwahu Easter brings a lot of people together, such as friends, families, organised groups including tourists from different parts of the world, therefore it becomes a major platform for blood donor education if not for mass blood collection.  

She announced that already, a number of institutions such as churches, organised groups, and corporate organisations have confirmed their participation with many others expressing interest in joining the exercise.

Mrs Puplampu expressed her Agency’s gratitude to the following corporate partners GOIL, NLA, NutriDay from FanMilk Ghana limited, MultiChoice Ghana, Mansa Gold Chocolate Ghana, Voltic Mineral water, Good Day Energy foods for their sponsorship support towards the event

The Public Relations Officer of the National Blood Service, Ghana, Mr Stephen Addai-Baah in response said the initiative is welcoming news for the Blood Service because, for some time now, it appears public interest in voluntary blood donation has gone down, making it difficult for the Blood Service to achieve its 100% voluntary donation target.

According to Mr Addai-Baah, to be able to surmount the challenges of blood shortages and increase voluntary blood collection at all times, there is the need to strengthen community-based education programmes such as being championed by Giant Publicity Media Consult, on the need to regularly donate blood on a voluntary basis.”

He said it is for this reason that the Blood Service is happy with this collaboration with Giant Publicity Media.

Mr Stephen Addai-Baah, therefore, called on the public, particularly the youth, to take up the challenge, become heroes in their respective communities, and be regular voluntary blood donors to avoid seasonal blood shortages in Ghana.

He expressed appreciation to Giant Publicity Media Consult and the sponsors for the partnership and hope that the collaboration between Giant Publicity Media Consult and the National Blood Service will go a long way to building a strong, lasting, and sustainable partnership in future.

The event is expected to attract over 1000 participants, out of which 90 per cent are expected to give blood to save lives.    

The 3-days blood donation event is supported by the Kwahu South Municipal Assembly with The Graphic Communications Group Limited, Daily Guide, the Finder, the Economy Tymes and The Multimedia Group as Media partners.