UNILORIN professor advocates female-targeted blood donation drives
By Mosunmola Ayobami, Ilorin
A professor of Haematology at the University of Ilorin, Professor Hannah Olawumi, has called for the implementation of female-targeted donor education and awareness programmes to boost women’s participation in blood donation in Nigeria.
She also advocated for periodic reviews of donor selection processes to eliminate any form of discrimination based on gender, race, nationality, or religion, thereby preventing the unnecessary deferral of suitable donors.
Olawumi made the call while delivering the 279th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Ilorin, titled “Heroes Without Capes: The Life-Saving Power of Blood Sacrifice.”
The don, who is the first inaugural lecturer from the Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences and the first from the Department of Haematology, stressed the need for national health authorities to establish well-coordinated blood programmes backed by legislation. She emphasized the need for adequate funding to intensify advocacy for voluntary blood donation.
She urged the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to sensitize the public on blood donor education to alleviate fears and dispel myths surrounding blood donation among Nigerians of all ages.
Professor Olawumi also recommended increased advocacy targeting youths, peer education promotion, and an expansion of the educational curriculum to instill civic responsibility from a young age.
She further called for capacity-building initiatives to foster a positive shift in the attitude of hospital staff, especially those working in blood banks.
“Blood is essential for medical treatments but often in short supply. Blood transfusions save millions of lives annually, enhance life expectancy, and support complex medical and surgical procedures,” she noted.
