By Sumaila Ogbaje

The President, Nigerian Air Officers’ Wives Association (NAFOWA), Dr Rakiya Abubakar, has described blood donors as quiet heroes who selflessly donate blood to save lives.

Abubakar stated this at the NAFOWA Lecture and Advocacy on Blood Donation in commemoration of World Blood Donor Day 2025, on Saturday in Abuja.

According to her, across the globe, people are uniting under the theme “20 Years of Giving: Thank You, Blood Donors!” to honour the quiet heroes among us, those who selflessly donate blood to save lives.

“It is a day that reminds us of the immeasurable value of compassion, and of our shared duty to preserve life whenever and however we can.

“In NAFOWA, we believe that every effort to protect life is noble and blood donation, though silent and simple, is one of the most powerful gifts anyone can offer,” she said.

NAFOWA president said the association did not only take steps to raise awareness but to also explain the process and encourage more members of the NAF community to embrace that vital act of service.

She said that the military community, by its very nature, understood sacrifice, service, and the urgency of response when a life is on the line.

According to her, blood must be on the shelf before it is needed and that responsibility rests on all of us.

She expressed appreciation to medical experts and volunteers for their efforts to enlighten, dispel myths, and empower them to act.

The resource person, Air Commodore Muzzammil Mohammed, who is the Commander of 065 NAF Hospital Asokoro, warned against transfusion of blood that stayed longer than necessary in the blood bank.

Mohammed said that there were lots of myths around blood donation, emphasising that some people believed that if they donate blood, they would get sick.

He dispelled the fear, stating that there was a required part of the cell volume which is blood level, that an individual must have before he or she can donate.

“So as long as that individual fulfills that criteria, there is no fear of if you donate blood, you get weak, you get thinner.

“What is important is that you must have optimal PCV to donate, age, indications, and then importantly, that you should not be donating frequently,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Yakubu Uba