Where to donate blood and get paid in Lagos or Abuja?? How much does it cost to donate blood in Nigeria? Hospitals to sell blood in Lagos.
I woke up this morning to see this very long message in my mailbox:
Good morning Doctor,
How much does it cost to donate blood in Nigeria? Where can I donate blood for money in Nigeria? I write to make an inquiry about blood donation for money in Nigeria. First let me introduce myself, my name is Augustine (not real name) and I shuttle between Lagos and Abuja which are my bases. I realise I have so much blood in my body and I want to donate blood but not voluntarily, I want to get paid for blood donation. I am very fit, my last checked packed cell volume (PCV) was 48percent and I have been screened serially for hepatitis b, HIV, hepatitis C, syphilis and the results all came out negative. Right now I am in Abuja but while I was in Lagos, I usually go to some laboratories to donate blood and I get paid handsomely for it. There was a week in Lagos I donated 3 pints of blood to different labs in Lagos and i was paid #7,000 Naira for each pint I donated, in the end I earned #21,000 naira. Doctor, things are hard right now in the country and commercial blood donation is part of my hustle to survive. My blood group is O positive and you know I am a universal donor. Forget that I am doing this for money, each pint if blood I donate saves a life.
Doctor, I don’t believe in voluntary blood donation because I have come to realise that even blood freely donated to help save lives are sold by the hospital and heavily paid for by sick patients. Patients don’t get voluntarily donated blood free in the hospital so why should I now donate without getting paid. It is not easy to build up blood o. To cut the long story short my doctor, now that I am in Abuja, I want you to help direct me to where I can go to in this Abuja or even in Lagos to donate blood and get paid. Show me to any blood bank or laboratory that will pay me if I donate blood for them. Also I need hospitals to sell blood in Lagos. Thank you.
My Answer:
Mr Augustine Good morning. I have received your message in good faith and I am happy to know that you donate blood howbeit for money. I am sorry I will have to correct you on so many areas you have seeming gotten wrong in this your message.
1. Although I am aware that some persons donate blood for money and some laboratories unethically accept and encourage this act, blood donation is strictly voluntary by international laws and commercializing it is grossly illegal. You desire to save lives through blood donation is commendable but should not be money driven.
2. Don’t go and kill yourself. It is wrong to do donate 3 pints of blood in a week. The standard criteria for blood donation in Nigeria is one every 3-6 months. That is, voluntary blood donors can only Donte blood once in 6 months. Donating 1.5litres of blood in a week just because of money is dastardly and remains condemned. You have just 5 – 6 litres of blood in your body.
3. I understand your misgivings that hospitals, especially govt owned, selling voluntarily donated blood to hapless patients. It stands condemned. But don’t forget that hospitals also buy blood too for their patients. Sometimes, they have no option other than to make patients pay for blood transfused.
4. Finally, I have heard or even see people walk to the labs and donate blood for money in many parts of Nigeria but I don’t encourage it. I don’t know how much it cost to donate blood in Nigeria, I heard blood donors charge between #7,000 – #10,000 Naira now.
5. Mr Augustine, I am not in anyway surprised at your message, even the Nigerian government has complained that only 10percent of Nigerian blood donors voluntarily donate blood for free, other donors donate for money or at a fee, please join the league of voluntary donors. Be a voluntary blood donor and life saver.
You cannot donate blood more than once in 3 months. This is give room for new blood cells to be formed.
