The National Association of Seadogs (NAS), better known as the Pyrates Confraternity, has renewed its call for voluntary blood donation among Nigerians.
Zanas Deck, the Lagos Mainland branch of the association, made the appeal on Saturday during its bi-annual blood donation project at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute-Metta, Lagos.
The 2025 edition of the exercise, themed “Not All Heroes Wear Capes: Be a Hero, Donate Blood to Help Save Lives”, drew a significant turnout of Seadogs and non-members who volunteered to donate to the hospital’s blood bank.
Babatunde Oluwafemi Adeolu, Zanas Deck capoon, speaking after the medical outreach, underscored the importance of building a culture of voluntary blood donation, saying it would greatly enhance Nigeria’s emergency response capacity and save countless lives.
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“Every year, our association mobilises our members and the general public to donate blood twice once in June and again in November,” Adeolu said.
“We are not just here to donate blood but also to raise awareness about the importance of voluntary blood donation.”
Addressing the volunteers, Nwabisi Edith, deputy director of medical laboratory services at FMC, stressed the crucial role of regular blood donation in saving lives.
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She explained that thousands of patients, ranging from accident victims and pregnant women with complications to individuals battling life-threatening illnesses, depend daily on donated blood.
Despite the high demand, Edith noted that voluntary blood donation rates in Nigeria remain critically low, resulting in persistent shortages and placing vulnerable patients at risk.
She urged healthy adults to donate blood at least once every few months due to numerous benefits to the body system, emphasising that voluntary donors are essential for maintaining a safe and adequate national blood supply.
Reinforcing the message, Emmanuel Nwaolise, Zanas Deck blood donation project coordinator, affirmed the association’s continued commitment to sustaining its blood donation initiatives and supporting healthcare delivery across the country.
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Nwaolise called on Nigerians to make voluntary blood donation a regular practice in order to save lives and strengthen the nation’s healthcare system.
