The Federal Government has declared December 8, every year, as Nigeria’s National Blood Donor Day.

This is coming on the heels of government’s renewed commitment to ensure the availability of safe and adequate blood for Nigerians in need of it.

The National Blood Service Commission disclosed this in a press statement signed by its Head, Media & Publicity, Haruna Abdullahi.

The Acting Director General, NBSC, Dr. Omale Amedu, while inaugurating the National Central Planning Committee in Abuja on Tuesday highlighted the need for the committee to strategise on ways to promote voluntary blood donation as a civic responsibility.

Amedu also charged the committee to ensure all blood establishments and hospitals work in synergy to provide sustainable quantities of safe blood and blood products for the country as well as adequately appreciating voluntary blood donors.

He emphasised that there can be no achievement of Universal Health Coverage without achievement of a nationally available and accessible safe, quality blood and blood products supply.

Amedu in the statement said, “December 8 is chosen as national day of blood donation in response to the need to domesticate the importance of blood as a serious human need and to raise the local content initiative where the Nigerian peculiarities are brought to the fore.

“This National Blood Donor Day is modelled after the World Blood Donor Day celebrated globally on June 14.”

The committee which was inaugurated has the Nigerian Medical Association, the Federal Road Safety Corps, APIN Public Health Initiatives, Center for Integrated Health Programs, National Orientation Agency, National Health Insurance Authority, National Youth Service Corps, Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service, the media and other implementing partners.