Right now, Nigeria requires a minimum of 1.8 million units of blood yearly to meet the blood transfusion needs of citizens.
According to Musa Muhibi, a Professor of Haematology at Edo State University, the rate of blood donation in the country is low, with only a maximum of 10 percent of donors.
He said, “Nigeria has one of lowest voluntary blood donation rates globally, with only 10 percent of blood supply coming from voluntary donors. Also, 60 percent comes from family replacement donors, while 30 percent comes from paid blood donors.”
Despite the low rates, it turns out that rolling your sleeves up to donate blood does come with some health benefits.
In honour of World Blood Donor Day, which falls on June 14, 2023, here are three surprising reasons to consider donating blood today:
Get a free health checkup
You get a free health screening anytime you go to donate blood. Your vital signs have to be checked to ensure that you are fit enough before you are allowed to go through the procedure.
This check-up is the perfect opportunity to get screened for any health conditions you may be unaware of. This is an obvious win-win situation.
Reduces the risks of cardiovascular diseases
Scientists have found that regular blood donation lowers LDL-c, also known as “bad” cholesterol as it causes plaque buildup in arteries which leads to cardiovascular diseases.
A study published in the Journal of Blood Medicine in 2022 showed that regular blood donors had lower LDL-c (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) compared to first-time donors.
The data also showed that regular blood donors have a higher level of HDL-c (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), which lowers the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Lowers the risks of cancer
In a paper titled ‘Donation frequency, iron loss, and risk of cancer among blood donors', Swedish researcher Dr Gustaf Edgren, observed that the risks of cancers of the lung, liver, colon, stomach, and oesophagus saw a decreasing trend as these are thought to be promoted by iron overload. This has been attributed to the fact that donating blood is said to maintain iron levels.
A 2022 study in the Journal of Oncology titled 'Association between Blood Donation and Malignant and Benign Tumour Risk', conducted among 3.4 million participants in China, also stated that the overall risk of tumours decreased more substantially with age in blood donors compared with nonblood donors.
In addition to these three health benefits, there is also the fact that helping people in need by donating your blood does wonders for your mood and mental health.
Before you go donating blood, make sure you drink a lot of water, eat well, exercise, and take iron tablets.