The National Blood Service is warning of crisis if measures are not immediately put in place to encourage voluntary donation of blood to meet demands of health facilities nationwide.

The service says it is currently unable to supply demands of hospitals due to shortfall in stock.

Public Relations Manager of the National Blood Service, Stephen Addai told Joy News that the situation poses a serious danger for pregnant women, accident victims and other patients who may require blood transfusion to survive.

He explained that, “Daily demand for blood has increased. You have a whole lot of hospitals coming to our centre asking for blood but we are unable to meet demand. For example if they come demanding about 10 or 20 of a particular group of blood we are unable to meet it because the voluntary donation has dwindled and so we are unable to supply our clients.”

When that happens, he added, the consequences are that “the accident centres, the maternity wards and the surgical wards,” suffer and if they are unable to meet demands, “it means that as a nation we are heading for a crisis.”

Stephen Addai said the service is stepping up education to encourage voluntary donation across the nation.

The National Blood Service, according to him, has started a campaign in schools, churches and communities to encourage people to come out and donate blood voluntarily.