The National Blood Service Agency (NBSA) has called for urgent action to promote voluntary blood donation in Nigeria, warning that inadequate public participation and misinformation continue to widen the gap between blood demand and supply.
The agency made the call at a media roundtable on voluntary blood donation organised in collaboration with the International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH), where health advocates and media professionals stressed the need to make regular blood donation a national culture.
The Director-General of NBSA, Prof. Saleh Yuguda, represented by the Head of Operations Centre, Dr Aliyu Dahiru Waziri, disclosed that the agency recorded between 24,000 and 25,000 units of blood in its centres in 2025, despite Nigeria’s population of over 200 million.
Waziri said the country needed at least two per cent of its population to donate blood to improve availability and meet growing healthcare demands.
He said, “Although the agency has been doing quite a lot in the past few years to make sure this mandate is being met, we still have some challenges when it comes to the total units of blood we are able to generate.
“As of last year, if we only take the census in the National Blood Service, we will only be talking about 24,000 or 25,000 units of blood generally. But when having a population of more than 200 million people, we should be talking about at least two per cent of our population giving blood. So there is a huge gap that we need to fill.”
On efforts to improve blood safety and accountability, Waziri said the agency was introducing a digital platform known as the National Blood Management System to monitor donated blood from collection to transfusion.
“One, we are trying to digitalise the process of collection, monitoring and even ensuring the safety of the blood through the programme that we call the National Blood Management System.
“It is an electronic system that will be able to track every unit from the donor to the person who receives the blood. And should there be a problem, we will be able to track that unit back to the person that donated the blood,” he said.
He also raised concerns over the improper collection and transportation of blood, explaining that the agency was strengthening its hospital linkage programme to ensure proper handling and distribution.
“What we are trying to avoid now is for individuals to come on their own to the National Blood Service Centres with coolers to say they are going to collect blood. It is not right,” he said.
Waziri urged Nigerians to embrace voluntary donation as an act of humanitarian service, saying, “Let us have that altruistic attitude. We should have the altruistic behaviour of being able to give without waiting for anything in return. That’s what we should be able to push for.”
Veteran journalist and health communication advocate, Moji Makanjuola, urged journalists to intensify public education and advocacy to address myths and misconceptions discouraging Nigerians from donating blood.
She said the media had a responsibility to inform the public about donation requirements, approved centres and the importance of voluntary, unpaid blood donation.
“The media educates the public about the importance of blood donation and the need for safe blood in healthcare facilities. We need to inform people about the importance of blood donation, who can donate blood and where they can donate. The media must also motivate healthy and eligible individuals to donate blood willingly without expecting financial rewards,” she said.
Makanjuola also stressed the need to correct misconceptions about blood donation, particularly beliefs that it causes weakness, infertility or illness.
“Some people believe that blood donation causes weakness, infertility, illnesses or permanent loss of blood. The media helps to correct these misconceptions by sharing accurate information from healthcare professionals and blood transfusion experts. We must also make it clear that proper screening is important because if someone is a carrier of an infectious disease, there is a likelihood that such a person will not be eligible to donate,” she said.
She further called on journalists to advocate improved healthcare infrastructure, particularly functional blood banks and appropriate storage facilities in primary healthcare centres.
“When we are renovating primary healthcare facilities, these are some of the things that should be present there. What are they doing at the primary healthcare level? Do they have any component for blood banking? These are things we must find out when we go to the field. We cannot sit in the comfort of hotels and discuss these issues without going out to establish what is happening,” she said.
She also urged media organisations to sustain public awareness throughout the year rather than waiting for special campaigns.
“Journalists should encourage people to become regular voluntary blood donors rather than donating only during emergencies. This helps to maintain a stable supply of safe blood in hospitals and blood banks. We do not have to wait until December 8 before we begin special reports and features on blood. Blood is life, and you never know who needs it. That victim might just be you,” she said.
Similarly, the Programme Manager of the International Society of Media in Public Health, Samiru Isah, identified blood shortages, misinformation and inadequate public awareness as major challenges affecting voluntary blood donation in Nigeria.
He said the country faced a 40 per cent shortfall in its required national blood reserves, noting that many patients still depended on family members to source blood during emergencies.
“According to information we have, Nigeria faces a 40 per cent shortfall in its required national blood reserves. Most of the time, when you go to the hospital, you find out that your husband or children are not there, and you have to start going around looking for blood. We are trying to change this narrative by encouraging people to donate voluntarily to save lives, even when they do not know who will benefit,” he said.
Isah also identified myths and cultural beliefs as major barriers to donation, calling for sustained public enlightenment.
“There are a lot of myths and misinformation going around about blood donation. Some believe that women do not donate blood, some believe that when you donate your blood, the blood bank will sell it, while others believe that people use donated blood for rituals. These are the myths and misinformation we want to address and give clarity to the public,” he said.
He described journalists as essential partners in the campaign, urging them to provide accurate information and sustain public awareness beyond occasional media engagements.
“We want to build a relationship that goes beyond occasional media coverage to a more structured and sustained partnership that promotes safe blood donation and public understanding. To our media colleagues, we see you not merely as observers of this campaign, but as essential partners and advocates. Your commitment to telling the right stories, asking the right questions and sharing accurate information can make a real difference in saving lives,” he said.
Isah added that the campaign would use different communication platforms to reach more Nigerians and encourage participation.
“The key message for the campaign is that voluntary blood donation is a safe, selfless and lifesaving act. Regular voluntary donation helps ensure that safe blood is available when patients need it. When you donate your blood, you give someone the opportunity to live,” he said.
The President of the Association of Nigerian Health Journalists (ANHEJ), Joseph Kadiri, described voluntary blood donation as a humanitarian responsibility that transcends religious, ethnic and political differences.
“Blood, again, goes beyond religion. It goes beyond political affiliation. It goes beyond tribe or region. It is an emergency situation, and a life needs to be saved, irrespective of religion or tribe or region,” he said.
He emphasised that voluntary donation remained essential to ensuring adequate blood reserves in the country.
“Blood is being prioritised, especially voluntary blood donation, because without voluntary blood donation, I am sure that Nigeria’s blood bank would never have the required amount of blood in the bank,” he said.
Kadiri reaffirmed the commitment of health journalists to public education, disclosing that the association would include blood donation in its annual health conference scheduled for November 26.
“As an association of Nigerian health journalists, we are saddled with the responsibility of informing and educating Nigerians on health issues. We are going to put the discussion of blood and, of course, voluntary donation of blood in a conference scheduled for next month, November 26,” he said.
Also speaking, the Chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Madam Anita Obasi, urged journalists to intensify public education by addressing myths, fears and misinformation surrounding blood donation.
She said, “This is where we, journalists, come in. Beyond reporting events, we must tell human-interest stories, amplify accurate information, challenge harmful misconceptions, and encourage a culture of voluntary, regular, unpaid, thought-driven action.”
Obasi pledged NAWOJ’s support for the initiative, promising that women journalists would participate in promoting voluntary blood donation.
“As journalists, we are ready to join in this initiative. And as the chairperson of NAWOJ, I promise that my women who welcome this initiative are fully committed,” she said.