By George Arrey Agbor

A nationwide campaign for the free donation of blood was launched in Douala on recently.
The campaign dubbed, "Cover Blood Need Pio," is an initiative of an NGO, Saint Pio Blood Relief Suffering Foundation Cameroon. Thirty-five people heeded the call to voluntarily donate blood at the Pentecostal Church in New Town Airport, Douala.

The blood donors were screened to ascertain whether they were apt to donate blood. One of the medical personnel on hand to receive the blood, Ngniem, declared that the blood collected was first tested for infectious diseases. After the laboratory tests, the blood is transferred to blood banks at the Laquintinie and Douala Referral Hospitals. She said that permanent blood donors will be determined during the campaign from the results obtained.

Addressing both blood donors and members of the organising committee, the Parish priest of the New Town Pentecostal Church, Rev. Father Bonaventure Etienne Marie Kounga, underscored the religious importance of freely donating blood. He said Jesus Christ was the first to donate blood in order to save mankind. The Coordinator of the NGO, Brother Noel Simo, expressed gratitude to the donors and the medical personnel present.

He called on administrative and religious authorities as well as the population of the Littoral Region to embrace the "Cover Blood Need Pio" project, for it renders a lot of services to mankind. Created in September 2008, the Saint Pio Blood Relief Suffering Foundation Cameroon aims to reduce frequent blood shortages in hospitals and health centre's in the country. In this regard, it intends to recruit over 5,000 voluntary blood donors in Douala, who will provide 18,000 pints of blood every year. The campaign ends on December 19, 2010.