Community Voluntary Blood Donation – Gi4SaveLives
June was an exciting and impactful month for the Gi4SaveLives Community Voluntary Blood Donation Program team and Lifeline teams, led by Mohamed Turay, in the Eastern Region, and Mohamed Kebbie Kamara and Mangenda Kamara, in Freetown, successfully organised voluntary blood donation drives in:
- Punduru Village, Kenema District
- Sewafe, Kono District
- Freetown, Western Urban Area
These activities were implemented in partnership with the Government of Sierra Leone, through the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, and including the leadership of the Koidu Government Hospital Blood Bank and the Princess Christian Maternity Hospital Blood Bank, as part of the World Blood Donor Day celebrations on June 14th, and a total of 83 units of blood were donated:
- Punduru Village: 42 units
- Sewafe: 18 units
- Freetown: 23 units
Saving Lives Through Community Action
One of the most inspiring moments occurred in Punduru where a woman, who had recently delivered at the Community Health Centre, experienced severe Postpartum Haemorrhage (PPH) but, fortunately, an ambulance from Koidu Government Hospital was present in the community during the blood donation drive, so the lady was immediately transferred to Koidu Government Hospital, where she received a life-saving blood transfusion – we are delighted to report that both mother and baby are healthy and recovering well.
Changing Mindsets Through Vision & Persistence
Another significant achievement was the participation of a highly influential community stakeholder in Punduru Village, a man who had previously opposed voluntary blood donation for more than four years, but on June 14th he donated blood for the first time and committed to becoming a regular donor.
This milestone is particularly meaningful because, although a close family member had previously benefited from donated blood, he had, until now, remained steadfastly opposed to the initiative, so his change of heart, to now become a donor demonstrates the power of community engagement and persistence.
As we often say, “To change a mindset takes millions of conversation”.
We extend our sincere appreciation to the entire Lifeline team and the Koidu Government Hospital and Princess Christian Maternity Hospital Blood Banks staff for their dedication and commitment.
Cradle Smart & PAPAGAIO Programs
The partnership between LNP and the Welbodi Partnership continues to make a positive impact on maternal health in communities across Western Urban and Western Rural districts, and through the CRADLE SMART and PAPAGAIO initiatives we continue to:
- increase Antenatal Care (ANC) attendance
- promote early detection of Pre-eclampsia and Hypertension during pregnancy
- improve community awareness of maternal health complications
- strengthen referral systems for women experiencing pregnancy-related complications
- support safer pregnancies and healthier birth outcomes.