By Peter Agengre
Staff of MTN Ghana have stocked the Upper East Regional Hospital blood bank with more than 100 pints of blood as part of this year’s Valentine’s Day celebrations. The initiative carried out in collaboration with the hospital and with support from senior high school students, aimed to raise awareness about the importance of blood donation. The donation drive, held at Bolgatanga Senior High School and Zamse Senior High School, was described as an act of love intended to save lives.
The Regional Territory Control Officer for MTN, Martin Kumobah, stated that the exercise is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility to help save lives.
“We take the health of our customers seriously. Every day in our hospitals, there is a high demand for blood for accident victims, surgeries, and other medical emergencies. MTN is responding to this health need. We started this initiative in 2011, and it is expected to continue annually. So, we decided to pool resources and embark on this exercise to help replenish the blood bank in Bolgatanga and across the country,” Mr. Kumobah explained.
“Just a pint of blood for the sick is a very important gift on Valentine’s Day, a day when people exchange gifts with their loved ones. This year, we are targeting to supply not less than 350 pints of blood to hospital blood banks,” he added.
Encouraging the public to donate blood regularly, the Principal Laboratory Assistant at the Regional Hospital, Kingsley Gamor, highlighted that an increase in chronic illnesses such as cancer, aneamia in children, and accidents has led to a higher demand for blood in hospitals. He commended MTN for the kind gesture.
“Sometimes, when patients need blood—especially those in maternity or undergoing surgery—we run out of stock. It is often difficult to replace. That’s why donations like this are crucial, ensuring we can respond to emergencies,” Mr. Gamor told GBC News.
For Iddrisu Zulaiyatu and Konzabre Thelma, students from the participating schools, donating blood brought them joy, knowing they were helping to save lives.
