The National Blood Service needs about 150,000 pints of blood per year to cater for the health needs of patients. This was disclosed by Mr Samuel Nunoo, Deputy Chief Organiser of the National Blood Service during the Joy FM Farmers Day Blood Donation exercise organized in Accra on Friday. 267 pints of blood were donated after almost seven hours, which saw donors taken through thorough advisory sessions before donation. Organizers say this year’s exercise experienced a slump in patronage as compared to last year’s, which garnered 415 pints. That notwithstanding, Tettey Watson, a marketing executive at Joy FM told Myjoyonline they are impressed with commitment shown by the donors. Samuel Nunoo said prospective donors must have blood equivalent of at least seven beer bottles to qualify. They must also weigh more than 50kg and must be between the ages of 17-60. He added the pints donated will further be screened for Hepatitis C, Syphilis, HIV AIDS and other blood-related diseases. Host of the Cosmoopolitan Mix, the mid-morning, music-laced magazine programme on Joy FM, Doreen Andoh, was on hand to treat donors, sponsors and workers of the National Blood Service to good music. Some of the sponsors include Promasidor Ghana Ltd and Unibank. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana