(Bopolu City, Gbarpolu County, July 17, 2025) – The National Blood Safety Program of the Ministry of Health is currently in Bopolu City, Gbarpolu County, to launch and create massive awareness on voluntary blood donation in collaboration with the Gbarpolu County Health Team and the Office of the Superintendent. The official launch of the national blood awareness campaign took place on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in the conference room of the administrative building hosting the Office of the Superintendent.
Upon arrival in the county, the team from the National Blood Safety Program along with the Governance and Decentralization Unit, and the Communication and Health Promotion Unit of the Ministry of Health held an inception meeting with the Gbarpolu County Health Team and the Office of the Superintendent to provide a briefing on the purpose, activities and timeline of the visit.
The purpose of the week-long awareness campaign is to educate the people of Gbarpolu County on voluntary, non-paid/free blood donation. Information for citizens intending to donate blood include: Ages from 18 to 65 are capable of donating blood; healthy individuals free from diseases; individual weight must be 50kg or 110 pounds and above; blood level (hemoglobin) must be 12g/dl and above; males can donate blood every three months; females can donate blood every four months; blood donors will be provided counseling services; and blood serves as a medicine in healthcare service delivery.
Hon. James Kpoto Scott, Gbarpolu County Administrator, welcomed the team from the Ministry of Health to Gbarpolu County, and urged all of the team members to feel free and provide the necessary information for the benefit of the people of Gbarpolu.
“We welcome all of you from the Ministry of Health and encourage all of the participants here present to work with the Ministry of Health to create awareness and spread the knowledge gained in your various homes, schools, religious centers, market places, and communities,” he said. “We urge all citizens of Gbarpolu to get involve in this blood donation process. We give the health practitioners the mantle of authority to reach every corner of the county to ensure our people are informed on the importance of blood donation. We don’t want to see our people dying; we want a healthy Gbarpolu county.”
Mr. Cheeseman O. Kangar, MOH Decentralization Officer, made the first presentation on Good Governance. He informed the participants that governance is about bringing diverse people together to make decisions that positively impact them.
“Good Governance brings about participation, inclusion, transparency, accountability, and adherence to the rule of law. The Ministry of Health alone can’t do all, it depends on the people to assist and support the various initiatives of the Government. Governance is everybody business; we should work together with love and togetherness to ensure that the healthcare system benefit all of its people,” he stated.
Dr. Onyekachi C. Subah, Director of MOH National Blood Safety Program, made the second presentation on the Overview of the National Blood Safety Program. “Voluntary non-paid blood donation is currently taking place at the two Regional Blood Centers in the Country located in Montserrado and Bong counties, and plan is in place of establishing similar centers in other health regions of the country. The National Blood Safety Program of the Ministry of Health has been able to conduct assessments of health facilities, and has established a baseline for the western blood transfusion system. This awareness campaign was officially launched in Sinoe county in June 2025, and now in July 2025, we’re here in Gbarpolu county doing same at the county-level. This awareness campaign will be rolled out to the remaining counties. I’m calling on everyone to support voluntary blood donation in order to strengthen healthcare service delivery, reduce maternal and neonatal deaths, and keep the heart of Liberia beating. The National Blood Safety Program of the Ministry of Health was established in 2008 to ensure a healthy population for all.”
Dr. Kezelebah S. Goyah, Gbarpolu County Health Officer, and Hon. James Kpoto Scott, Gbarpolu County Administrator, representing the Office of the Superintendent officially launched the National Blood Awareness Campaign on behalf of the Gbarpolu County Health Team. Quoting an excerpt from the Hippocratic Oath, Dr. Goyah stated: “Into whatsoever houses I enter, I will enter to help the sick, and I will abstain from all intentional wrong-doing and harm, especially from abusing the bodies of man or woman, bond or free. And whatsoever I shall see or hear in the course of my profession, as well as outside my profession in my intercourse with men, if it be what should not be published abroad, I will never divulge, holding such things to be holy secrets.” In conclusion, he said: “Let us be confidential and professional in the work that we do. We’ve to do everything possible to ensure our people have confidence and trust in the work that we’re doing to improve healthcare service delivery in Gbarpolu county.”
During the official launch ceremony, special remarks were made by the Office of the Superintendent, Gbarpolu County Health Board, Gbarpolu County Health Team, Traditional Leaders, Religious Leaders, Women Group, Youth Group, County Education Officer, School Administrators, Parent Teacher Association, etc.
T-shirts and caps were provided to each of the participants for the creation of awareness in their various homes and communities. The awareness campaign was taken to the Emirates Hospital, Bopolu Car Parking Center, Bopolu Central Market, Henry Town, Henry Town Clinic, Henry Town General Market, etc. Staff from the Gbarpolu County Health Team and Gbarpolu Youth Leadership accompanied the team from the MOH National Blood Safety Program to the various locations where the awareness took place.
The national blood awareness campaign is a week-long of activities carried out in a particular county based on the county activity timeline of the National Blood Safety Program of the Ministry of Health. A National Call for Increased Awareness on Voluntary Non-Paid/Free Blood Donation is the theme of this campaign, and the campaign is funded by the World Bank – Institutional Foundations to Improve Services for Health (IFISH) Project.