THE National Blood Service Ghana (NBSG), in collaboration with the Grand Lodge of Ghana, has launched the Ghana blood drive and education campaign to strengthen voluntary blood donation nationwide.

Launched on Friday at the Ghanatta Senior High School in Dodowa on the theme: ‘Give Blood, Give Hope: Together We Save Lives,’ the campaign targets more than 300 senior high and technical institutions across the country.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of the NBSG, Dr Shirley Owusu-Ofori, said the partnership between the NBSG and the Ghana Education Service (GES), which spans over four decades, remains the cornerstone of the service’s voluntary blood donation programme.

According to her, senior high schools account for more than 70 per cent of the NBSG’s donor base, underscoring the critical role of the youth in sustaining the national blood supply.

Dr Owusu-Ofori assured stakeholders that the NBSG would uphold strict safety and professional standards during school-based donation exercises. “The health and well-being of students are our top priority,” she mentioned.

However, Dr Owusu-Ofori expressed concern about the persistent shortage of safe blood in the country. She said only about six out of every 1,000 people donate blood, below the expected 10 per 1,000 required to meet national needs.

She, therefore, encouraged individuals between the ages of 17 and 60 to donate blood voluntarily to help save lives and appealed to corporate organisations to support the initiative.

In his remarks, the President of the Samaritan Foundation of the Grand Lodge of Ghana, Mr Daniel Awuah-Darko, said the campaign aligns with the Lodge’s mission to be a beacon of charity, service and hope, saying that, “As Freemasons, we are taught that charity is not optional; it is essential.”

The Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ghana, Dr Nortey Kwashie Omaboe, pledged to sustain the campaign through the provision of adequate resources and capacity training programmes.

The Assistant Headmistress (Administration) of Ghanatta SHS, Mrs Alberta Grace Agyei, thanked the organisers for selecting the school to host the launch and pledged to encourage students to participate in future blood donation exercises.