Asante Presbytery Conducts Blood Donation Exercise, Stocks KATH with 149 Pints
In a generous effort to stock the blood bank at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, the Asante Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana has organized its second blood donation exercise in about 15 months.
Unlike the previous centralized exercise, this year’s event was decentralized and held at three different centers simultaneously.
The blood donation exercise took place on Saturday, July 15, 2023, at Peyer Congregation – Bantama, Christ Congregation – KNUST, and the Presbytery office, Adum. At the end of the event, a total of 149 pints of blood were donated and handed over to the Blood Bank department of KATH.
Rev. Samuel Adu Gyamfi, the Presbytery Clerk, emphasized that this exercise is a social responsibility of the Church in Asante and assured that it will become an annual event. He explained that the goal is to ensure blood availability for transfusion to patients in need, and KATH has the capacity to store the donated blood for other health facilities to access when necessary.
“Last year as part of the Centenary celebrations, the Asante Presbytery embarked on blood donation exercise as a social responsibility aside from our schools and hospitals. We want to make blood available for transfusion for patients who may be in need. This is the 2nd edition and we will continue to do it.”
Rev. Ernest Odame Asare, the Ecumenical and Social Relations Director for the Presbytery, appealed to the public to participate in blood donation to save lives of relatives, friends, and others who may require a pint of blood to survive. He stressed the importance of saving blood for emergency situations, just as one would save money in a bank.
He recalled, “Last year, for instance, two of our church members benefited from the donations when I received a call that they had been admitted to the hospital and would need a blood infusion. Immediately, I called the KATH Blood Bank, and they were infused instantly.”
Dr. Joseph Offei Darko, the Presbytery Director for Social Services, also called on Presbyterians to actively participate in future blood donation exercises, as it is a life-saving initiative.
Story by George Addo
