The Head of the Eastern Regional Laboratory Service, Ms Francisca Dzata, says last year the Koforidua Regional Hospital transfused 2,855 units of blood and received 1,064 units of blood from voluntary blood donors. She said the Eastern Region had 20 blood transfusion centres that depended on the Regional Hospital and appealed to people to donate blood voluntarily. Ms Dzata was speaking at a variety programme organized by the Youth Forum Programme of the Sunrise FM of the Ghana Broadcasting Company at Koforidua on Thursday. The programme focused on the prevention of HIV/AIDS and blood donation as part of activities planned for Ghana's 50th independence anniversary celebration. The New Juaben Municipal Assembly, Voluntary Workcamp Association of Ghana, Ghana Cocoa Processing Factory and the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana sponsored the programme. The programme was also used to reward institutions and individuals who had contributed towards the donation of blood to the Regional Blood Bank over a period. The New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, Nana Adjei Boateng, called on the youth to lead good life so that they would stay healthy to donate blood to save lives. Koforidua Secondary Technical School that had donated over 100 units of blood annually to the blood bank was presented with a 20-inch television set. Mr Dickson K. Momeh, who had donated blood 26 times, was presented with a ghetto blaster while Mr Frimpong Manso who had donated 47 units of blood and was also presented with a bread toaster. Source GNA