Pate disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja in commemoration of the 2024 World Blood Donor Day with the theme “20 Years of Celebrating Giving: Thank You, Blood Donors!”, organised by the National Blood Service Commission.
The minister, who was represented by the Director of Health Planning, Research and Statistics, Chris Isokpunwu, said the plans would ensure availability of safe blood and blood products in Nigeria.
He acknowledged the role of blood donors in saving lives, noting that the donation rate in Nigeria shows that over 80 percent of blood collected are from family replacement and commercial blood donors.
Also speaking at the briefing, the Director-General of the NBSC, Professor Saleh Yuguda, who said blood donation plays a critical role in saving lives and strengthening the healthcare system in the country, explained that transfusion of blood and blood products help patients to live longer and with higher quality of life.
In his remarks, the Country Representative of the World Health Organisation, Dr Walter Mulombo, said Nigeria is one of the 16 African countries with 80 per cent of blood donation from voluntary blood donation, stressing the need to create awareness on blood donation as the total number of blood collected was still low at 5.2 units per one thousand population.
