Declining frequency of blood donation among elites in Maiduguri, Nigeria

This study evaluated the causes of declining frequency of voluntary blood donations among educated elites as seen at the blood bank of University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Nigeria, over the last decade. The number of blood units received from educated elite donors during a 10-year period (1995-2004) at the blood bank were determined and expressed as percentages of total donations collected annually. The reasons for elite donor default were obtained through the use of questionnaires filled by defaulting donors. The proportion of educated elite donations steadily fell from 28% in 1995 to 7% in 2004. Reasons for defaulting from voluntary blood donations included fear for HIV screening in 86.7% of respondents, economic hardship/poor nourishment in 50.6% of respondents, changed address/logistic difficulties in 4.8% of respondents and ill health in 2.4% of respondents. Therefore, the steady fall in the proportion of elite donors over the years was mainly due to fear of HIV screening coupled with economic difficulties. Hence, there is the need to review our donor campaign strategy with respect to predonation counseling for HIV, initiate regular haematinics supplementation for donors and introduce sustainable mobile donor clinic services for distant donors. Further more, there is the need for a functional national blood transfusion service in Nigeria.