By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The Oyo State government has applauded IHS Nigeria and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for their investment in healthcare in the state, especially with the donation of an oxygen plant to Jericho Specialist Hospital.

In May 2024, the two organisations blessed the healthcare facility with the oxygen plant equipped with 50 units of 6-cubic-meter cylinders and 150 units of 3 cubic meter cylinders that currently supplies both private and public hospitals, including primary health centres all over Oyo State.

A few days ago, officials of IHS Nigeria and UNICEF were at Jericho Specialist Hospital to access the usage condition of the oxygen plant.

The Commissioner for Health in Oyo State, Dr Oluwaserimi Adewunmi Ajetunmobi, while receiving the team, thanked them for the donation.

“This partnership between IHS Nigeria and UNICEF is a testament to the power of collaboration in strengthening our healthcare system.

“The oxygen plant at Jericho Specialist Hospital has become a critical asset in our fight to reduce avoidable deaths, especially among newborns and vulnerable patients. It is not just a donation; it is a life-saving intervention that has redefined emergency response capabilities in the state.

“We commend IHS Nigeria and UNICEF for their foresight, dedication, and long-term commitment to healthcare delivery in Oyo State,” the Commissioner said.

Also, the management of Jericho Specialist Hospital acknowledged the difference the plant has made in ensuring prompt availability of oxygen even for primary healthcare centres that are unable to pay, and in improving the medical outcomes for many patients who need oxygen as part of their management.

Similarly, the Permanent Secretary of the Oyo State Ministry of Health, Dr Akintunde Ayinde, said, “Before COVID-19, oxygen therapy was not prioritized in most hospitals, government or private. But when the crisis hit, IHS Nigeria and UNICEF didn’t just donate equipment, they identified the gap and moved quickly to close it.

“This oxygen plant has completely transformed our emergency response system. We’ve gone from scarcity to stability. Patients who once struggled to access oxygen especially those who couldn’t afford it now receive it without delay.”

“Beyond the donation, IHS and UNICEF brought us a sustainability model, trained engineers, and introduced a more efficient, solar-powered oxygen management system. We’re now extending oxygen access to primary and secondary care centres and even supplying private clinics in crisis. For me, this initiative is not just impactful, it is lifesaving. We are truly grateful and committed to building on this collaboration to ensure long-term impact,” he added.

On her part, the Director of Sustainability at IHS Nigeria, Ms Titilope Oguntuga, said, “At IHS, sustainability is at the core of everything we do. Our focus spans four key pillars which are Ethics and Governance, Environment and Climate Change, People and Communities and Education and Economic Growth.

“This oxygen plant initiative speaks directly to our commitment to people and communities. As we assess the progress of this project, we are reminded of its alignment with key Sustainable Development Goals, including good health and well-being, responsible consumption, and partnerships for the attainment of the SDG goals.”

“We are here not just to inspect the plant, but to witness the impact, strengthen relationships, and continue building a partnership that delivers real value to Nigerians,” she added.

Also, the Health Specialist for UNICEF Lagos, Dr Olufemi Adeyemi, said, “It is a pleasure to witness the results of our strong collaboration with IHS Nigeria and Oyo State. On behalf of UNICEF, I want to sincerely thank the state for providing an enabling environment that makes impactful partnerships like this possible.

“We are here to assess how well the oxygen plant is performing. We no longer want to see lives lost due to a lack of oxygen. We want to be assured that the investment made is truly saving lives and delivering the impact it was intended to.”

Recall that earlier this year; the team had visited the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, to evaluate the operational status and impact of the oxygen plant installed in Ogun.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The chief executive of SUNU Health Nigeria Limited, Dr Patrick Korie, has emphasised the importance of investing in the health of children by providing them with access to medical care to shape their future.

According to him, every parent has a critical role to play in ensuring their children enjoy healthy lives through active health coverage.

“Children deserve a healthy start in life, and this can be achieved by investing in their health. We are not only safeguarding their future but also contributing to the overall well-being of our society.

“As a healthcare expert, I understand the importance of access to quality medical care in shaping the future of children,” he said as the world marked Children’s Day on May 27.

He charged parents to prioritise their children’s health and wellbeing, noting that health insurance offers families financial protection against unforeseen medical expenses.

He submitted that with active health insurance coverage, parents can rest assured that their children will receive the medical attention they need without breaking the bank, stating this is particularly crucial for children who are more vulnerable to illnesses and require prompt medical attention.

As part of SUNU Health’s commitment to promoting healthcare awareness, the company is dedicated to providing innovative health insurance solutions that cater to the unique needs of families.

He called on well-meaning Nigerians to contribute to the welfare of vulnerable children by supporting foundations that cater for children welfarism.

Dr Korie’s advocacy for children’s health is a testament to the company’s mission of making quality healthcare accessible to all Nigerians at cost effective rate.

In celebration of Children’s Day, SUNU Health Nigeria Limited has partnered with Cute Kids Haven Foundation for at least three years, giving children a colourful celebration.

By Saifullahi Attahir

I’m sure once in your life time have experienced or had one of your acquittances received a unit of blood. But have we ever gave a second thought about how this integral part of healthcare system in Nigeria is managed? In this article, I would give the reader a glimpse into this sector due to it’s importance, and some comparison of how it’s manage in other advanced countries.

Blood transfusion was a century old medical practice developed around 1900 by a scientist called Carl landstener, despite several attempts by contemporary scientists before him to devise a means to replace loss of blood encountered by patients either during surgical operations, accidents, or child birth.

Landstener was able to perpect the art of blood transfusion through discovery of major blood groups (ABO, and Rhesus) that played role in matching donor and recipients. Since then, there was continued effort toward safe blood transfusion services across the globe which massively lead to the decline in mortality rate associated with decrease blood supply in the body.

In Nigeria, blood transfusion services was practiced since the colonial-post colonial period mostly starting in Lagos and major urban centres. The major breakthrough was when the National blood transfusion services was established in 2005 during President Obasanjo. The National Health act of 2014 lead to the passage of National blood service Agency bill in 29th /July/ 2021.

According to the NBSA (www.nbsc.gov.ng) site, there was 17 voluntary blood donation centers across the 6 geopolitical zones of Nigeria including separate centers in Federal Capital Abuja, and other centers within the Arm Forces/ Military hospitals. National blood donation day is celebrated every 8th of December, and World safe donation day celebrated every 14th, June.

Nigeria has a population of over 200 million people, and without saying, our demand for blood donation was staggering looking at the number of road traffic accidents, obstetrics patients, major surgical procedures, under 5 years malarial and Schistosomial infections. This is apart from anaemic conditions due to malnutrition (Iron deficiency), other tropical diseases, Chronic Kidney Diseases, abnormal menstruation, and burns.

With all the above mention reasons, our data regarding blood transfusion services was reprehensible.

Several factors have lead to that including community neglect, lack of government intervention, lack of standard private practices, cultural influences, poor funding, and the Almighty mismanagement of resources.

About 1,230, 000 (one million, two hundred and thirty thousand) units/pints of blood are collected annually across Nigeria healthcare facilities, but unfortunately about 90% of this donations are paid commercials. Only 25,000 units are donated by volunteers that are made available to 3,400 hospitals urgent request! This simply shows that less than 5% of blood donation in Nigeria is voluntary.

Let me highlight four different forms of donations practiced worldwide;

* There was voluntary donation done by individuals just for the sake of humanity with no ulterior motive.

*There was direct/replacement donation usually done by relatives of a patients that are called in times of emergency. This one is hugely practice in Nigeria to about 75% in public hospitals.

* There was paid commercial donations in which donors give blood and collect money for it. This practice in Nigeria constitute about 25% in public hospitals and about 75% in some private clinics. This practice carried the major risk of transmitting transfusion-transmitted infections like HIV, Hepatitis B, and C.

* There was the autologous transfusion in which individual give his own blood prior to some surgical operations where the blood is stored, and later transfused back to him. This procedure has the least risk of transmitting infection and eliciting blood transfusion reactions.

Among the four blood transfusion methods, the two most widely practiced in Nigeria are the replacement and the paid commercial. People only care to donate blood when they knew their relatives are in need. This practice was commoner in our society from the villages to the urban. You could donate as soon as you know it’s your parents, wife, son, sister, brother or friend. Any other person can go to hell!

The worst form of practice is the commercial one, where people either out of ignorance or artificial poverty volunteer to donate only if they are going to be paid for it. This business triggers every form of atrocities where the donors sometimes donate multiple times within a short period of time ( The standard is at least an interval of 4-6 months, depending on age, gender, and social status).

The paid donors carries the highest risk of transmitting infections and other abnormalities either to themselves or to the recipients. So this practice need to be discourage by the healthcare personnels and the Government.
As an insider, and with my little period of practice, I have come to realized some of the difficulties blood transfusion services encountered in our health care facilities.

Shortage of blood units

There was the problem of blood supply shortage, this is evident from how Doctors/Lab personnel always advised patient relatives to go home and mobilized their kinsmen when a patient was in need of blood. This happens as if it were the standard thing to do. The ideal is for a patient to be transfused blood from the pool of blood bank regardless of bringing replacement or not. But this can only happens if their was enough units stored in the blood bank, and in most cases their was non.

I have personally witnesses several cases where a patient can almost loose his/her life their donors travelling many kilometers only to be rejected due to mismatch. Imagine the money and time wasted! The blame is not on the healthcare personnel, nor on the government alone, the blame is on the system and our society at large. We are lacking altruism.

This problem can be attributed to the lack of decentralised system of blood banking we operate in Nigeria.
Nigeria has a single National blood donation system. While in places like US, procurement of blood is majorly met by volunteers, they have a pluralistic blood collection programs by ( Red cross, independent community blood centres,and hospitals).

In the US, 15 million units of blood are collected from 10 million donors annually, and only 7% are collected in hospitals, and 93% in regional centres, unlike Nigeria where most of the collection are done in hospitals.

In the US, the blood collection, processing, testing,and preservation are regulated by the FDA. They operated a sharing system where by blood units can be transferred from a region with less demand and higher collection to a region with more demand.

Blood transfusion data

Nigeria has a blood collection data problem, many hospitals especially in the rural areas can not keep the record consistently for a year. This problem can be attributed to the manual (pen and paper) system of health records we are still operating in Nigeria, which is subject to error, missing, or manipulation. Without proper blood collection data it would be difficult to alleviate problem of shortage, and implementation.

Lack of Awareness

A recent data has shown how blood donation is directly proportional to development; in developed countries, 50 units of blood are donated in every 1000 population. In developing countries, 15 units of blood are donated in every 1000 population. While in under developed countries, only 5 units of blood are donated in every 1000 population.

In under developed and developing countries, limited storage facilities, lack of incentives, malnutrition, personal wellbeing,and lack of knowledge can be a contributing factor to low turnout of voluntary blood donation. It’s more likely for a high income University graduate to donate blood voluntarily than a less educated poor labourer. The former might be healthier, more mentally stable, and more aware on the need to donate.

Expertise and Procurement Facilities

The current improvement in blood donation service especially in the tropics can be attributed to the benevolent funding by the US through USAID and President Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Since 2000, there was continued efficiency in transfusion services in Nigeria, thanks to the aforementioned Agencies.

Despite this improvement, there was still problems of procedures, staff proficiency, specific testing,and preparation of separate blood components ( like plasma derivatives, platelets, and white blood cells).

Our screening methods are still qualitative immuno-phenotyping, we are using 4th generation ELISA ( Enzyme linked immunosorbent Assay), and no Nuclear Amplification Technique (NAT ) testing yet.

In 2018, I attended a two weeks training in Abuja organized by the University of Maryland experts under the supervision of Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH). We were trained on the standard serological techniques of Retro viral screening (RVS), Hepatitis, and VDRL. It was in preparation for a six month extensive survey we conducted across Nigeria based on the impact of HIV screening and therapy over the last three decades called Nigeria AIDS INDICATOR AND IMPACT SURVEY (NAIIS 2018). The training was an eye opener for me on the need to standardized our screening methods.

On a way forward, in order to attain the blood transfusion safety target, there is need for more voluntary donations campaign through mass media, schools, Churches, and Mosques.

Factors that prevent people from voluntary donations should be address like establishment of more independent blood donation centres, incentives, availability of storage facilities, and free donation services.
Nigeria should have a centralised registry of people with blood group O rhesus D negative, and such rare blood units should be made available across the country through a systematic sharing arrangement.

There is need for the communities and philanthropies to create more Non governmental organizations (NGOs) to address shortage of blood and to complement government efforts, as the government can not carryout the duty alone.

Saifullahi Attahir is the President of National Association of Jigawa State Medical Students (NAJIMS) National body. He wrote this piece from Federal University Dutse