Nigeria’s law on blood transfusion inadequate –NMA

The President of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof Innocent Ujah, has said that the law guiding blood transfusion in Nigeria was inadequate with the rapid increase of quackery and other sharp practices in the sector.

The association’s National President stated this in Abuja on Monday during a press conference to mark the 2021 World Blood Donor Day.

Ujah said the blood transfusion service in Nigeria is plagued by a high rate of commercial blood donation with the attendant risk of transmission of transmissible infections.

“Funding to National Blood Transfusion Service centres across the country is poor leading to deficiency in the quality of her operations.

“Law guiding the practice of blood transfusion medicine in Nigeria is inadequate with the attendant proliferation of quackery and other sharp practices in the sector.

“State NBTS centres are the worst hit since the withdrawal of donor funds by implementing partners as state governments are yet to take full ownership of such centres in their domain.

“NBTS centres are poorly funded and in dire need of an upgrade in terms of manpower, infrastructure, equipment and training,” he said.

He urged the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders in the health sector to join hands and push for the speedy passage of the National Blood Service Commission Bill.