In a bid to address persistent blood shortages, the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) Blood Bank has intensified its efforts to increase blood reserves by organizing donation exercises in senior high schools.
The initiative, held in commemoration of World Blood Donor Day, aims to mobilize the youth to contribute to the critical blood supply needed for medical emergencies.
At T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School in Kumasi, students enthusiastically participated in the exercise, donating an impressive 266 pints of blood.
The drive forms part of KATH’s broader strategy to meet the rising demand for blood, particularly for accident victims, surgical patients, and maternity cases.
Christian Oppong Mensah, Head of the KATH Blood Bank, emphasized the importance of such initiatives in sustaining the hospital’s blood stock.
“The demand for blood at KATH continues to grow due to increasing medical cases. Engaging students not only helps us secure immediate donations but also instills a culture of voluntary blood donation among the youth,” he said.
With a high concentration of healthy young donors, senior high schools serve as a key resource for replenishing blood supplies. The KATH Blood Bank plans to expand the exercise to more schools across the Ashanti Region to ensure a steady flow of donations.
“Every pint collected could save up to three lives, making this voluntary donation exercise timely and invaluable because we currently don’t have adequate blood in stock”, Mr Oppong Mensah emphasized.
With KATH serving 12 out of the 16 regions in Ghana, the hospital encourages more institutions and individuals to participate in future blood drives to prevent shortages that could jeopardize patient care.
