Optimus Bank organises Lagos blood drive amid supply shortfall

Optimus Bank has launched a blood donation drive in Lagos to support healthcare needs and encourage voluntary donations amid a reported gap in Nigeria’s blood supply. The initiative was organised under the bank’s corporate social responsibility platform, Impact Starts With Us, and carried the theme “Give Blood. Give Life.” Employees, stakeholders and community members participated in the exercise, according to a statement from the bank on Sunday.

The bank said safe and timely access to blood is important for people facing medical emergencies, including women experiencing bleeding during childbirth, accident victims, children with severe anaemia, people living with sickle cell disorder, cancer patients and surgical patients. It cited World Health Organisation estimates that Nigeria needs between 1.8 million and two million units of blood annually, while 371,827 units were collected in 2024. The statement also said postpartum haemorrhage accounts for about 23 to 30 per cent of maternal deaths in Nigeria.

Optimus Bank’s managing director, Ademola Odeyemi, said the institution’s responsibilities extended beyond financial services. He said the drive was intended to encourage Nigerians to make donations that could give another person a second chance at life. The bank’s Head of Corporate Communications, Morolake Philip-Ladipo, said every unit could help a mother, child, accident victim or patient receive urgent care.

The donation exercise received technical support from the Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion at Lagos University Teaching Hospital. The department’s head, Titilope Adeyemo, said regular voluntary donation was essential to maintaining blood availability for emergencies, childbirth, surgery and patients requiring continuing transfusion support. Optimus Bank said its broader social impact work also covers education, empowerment, environmental sustainability and community development.