[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Boboye Oyeyemi has urged staff of the FRSC to generously donate blood in the ongoing campaign for free blood donation by the National Blood Transfusion Service, saying the life saved through blood donation could be that of the donor. He stated this on Saturday during the FRSC’s monthly walking/jogging exercise for the month of June at the National Stadium Abuja, in commemoration of the 2016 World Blood Donor Day.
According to the Corps Marshal, there is an existing partnership between the FRSC and the National Blood Transfusion Service to raise public awareness on free blood donation by volunteers who are motivated by love for life and safety of humanity. He noted that the donated blood could be used on any patient that is in critical need of it, including victims of road traffic crashes. He therefore, urged staff of the FRSC to come out and identify with the good cause by donating their blood to save lives.
“What the National Blood Transfusion Service is doing complements what the FRSC does on the road by saving lives of the road users. We must, therefore, support them by encouraging blood donation not only by our own staff, but other stakeholders and members of the public,” Oyeyemi stated.
The Corps Marshal further stressed that in demonstrating FRSC’s commitment to the success of the partnership initiative, the June edition of the walking/jogging exercise was dedicated to the 2016 World Blood Donor Day organised worldwide by the World Health Organisation (WHO). This, he said was to raise public awareness on the importance of blood donation and need for members of the public to show commitment to saving lives of those that might be in need of blood at critical times. “You must all therefore, show sincere commitment to donating your blood to save lives,” he further stated.
While expressing satisfaction with the high turnout of staff at the monthly jogging exercise, the Corps Marshal reiterated his earlier call on staff to show commitment to physical fitness exercise. He enjoined them not to limit physical fitness exercise only to the monthly walking/jogging programme, but making it a regular practice to keep sickness and diseases away.
The Special Guest of Honour and National Coordinator of the National Blood Transfusion Service, Dr Oluwatomi Smith, who was represented by the Coordinator, Abuja Centre of the Service, Dr Omo Izedonmwen commended the FRSC for the partnership initiative between the service and the FRSC. He disclosed that as a way of encouraging more donors to donate blood with ease, a facility will soon be setup at the FRSC National Headquarters Abuja to make it possible for willing donors to donate with easiness.
The National Coordinator described as worrisome, a situation where report indicates that 150 women worldwide die every day from health complications, with 27 percent of them dying from blood related cases. This, he said, makes it imperative that public spirited individuals join hands to reduce the trend through free donation of blood.
“It is to raise public awareness on issues of blood and need for more free donation from members of the public, that the World Health Organisation declared June 14th of every year as, “World Blood Donor Day,” with the theme for this year’s being, “Share Life, Give Blood,” he stated.
A popular Nollywood Actor, Kanayo O Kanayo who graced the occasion, commended the leadership of the FRSC for the commitment it has shown not only to safety of road users, but physical well being of its staff. He noted that the monthly walking/jogging exercise is an evidence of the care the leadership has for the people. He called on other security agencies to emulate the FRSC example by organizing similar exercise, saying it promotes good health, sociability and public awareness especially, on some topical national issues.
The popular Actor called on members of the public to generously donate their blood to save lives. He particularly expressed happiness at his invitation to be part of the worthy cause, promising to respond positively to future invitations and expressed willingness to mobilize for free donation of blood.
The June edition of the FRSC’s walking/jogging exercise which was attended by large numbers of FRSC staff also attracted participants from the Military, paramilitary and civil society organisations as well as Road Safety Officers’ Wives and their children. Participants were led along the designated routes by Corps Marshal Oyeyemi who was accompanied by his Management staff.
