The National Blood Service (NBS), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and with support from the World Health Organisation (WHO), has commemorated World Blood Donor Day 2025 under the theme “Give Blood, Give Hope: Together We Save Lives.”

This year’s celebration honoured the life-saving role of voluntary, unpaid blood donors across Ghana and emphasised the urgent need for broader public participation, especially among young people, to ensure a reliable and safe blood supply nationwide.

Delivering the keynote address, Minister for Health  Kwabena Mintah Akandoh reaffirmed the government’s strong commitment to improving blood safety and availability under the Mahama Cares healthcare reform agenda.

He announced that discussions are underway to eliminate blood processing fees in a bid to reduce the financial burden on patients in need of transfusions.

The Minister called on all Ghanaians between the ages of 17 and 60 to make regular blood donation a personal commitment, and encouraged both public and private institutions to organise at least two blood donation exercises annually.

“No life should be lost in this country because of a lack of blood,” he stated.

Chief Executive Officer of the National Blood Service, Dr. Shirley Owusu-Ofori, highlighted a major achievement in 2024, with Ghana collecting 187,280 units of blood, representing 99% of the national target.

She also noted that over 45,000 units were processed into various components to meet the growing demand for timely and safe blood transfusions.

Despite the progress, Dr. Owusu-Ofori acknowledged several challenges facing the service, including limited infrastructure for donations, a shortage of mobile collection vans, and insufficient funding for a nationwide digital Blood Information Management System.

To address these gaps, she advocated for the establishment of Regional Blood Centres and a sustainable, fully funded National Blood Donor Programme to strengthen the country’s blood supply system.

“As part of this year’s observance, blood donation drives, public education campaigns, and media outreach will take place nationwide to raise awareness and inspire more Ghanaians to become regular donors,” she added.

In her closing remarks, Dr. Owusu-Ofori left attendees with a simple but powerful call to action: “Be a lifesaver.

Show off your arm!” — reinforcing the message that every donation is a vital contribution to saving lives and building a healthier Ghana.