The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Blood Service, Dr. Justina Ansah, has advised the general public to demand receipts for services rendered to them at the National Blood Bank.

She believes this will significantly reduce the rate of extortion at the facility.

"There's a big role for the community to play. People should ask for receipts when they are provided with services at the blood bank," she said.

Her advice follows a JoyNews exposé on how a National Blood syndicate sells blood at exorbitant prices.

The JoyNews’ and Corruption Watch investigation uncovered the illegal collection of fees for blood supply by a syndicate operating within the National Blood Service at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and the Greater Accra Regional Blood Bank.

At the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, a staff collected ¢300 for a pint of blood while the leader of a syndicate operating within the National Blood Service at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, demanded ¢750 for a pint of blood.

Speaking on this development on Wednesday, February 16, 2022, during the Super Morning Show, Dr. Ansah outrightly condemned the act. She emphasised that patients are not supposed to make payments exceeding ₵150 for blood.

Though she acknowledged that this is something that has been happening in many hospitals, she said her outfit is working tirelessly to ensure the situation is brought under control.

“We’re assuring that together with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), and other regulatory bodies, we are putting all the measures in place to ensure that the system is regulated. We've put together an Inter-agency Committee and they came out with a lot of recommendations.

“And so we have come out with guidelines and we're working to implement the recommendations from the Inter-agency Committee that has been set up," he said.