Scientists the world over have continued their quest for cure and ways to prevent terminal diseases including cancer. As part of event to mark the 2017 World Blood Donor Day in Abuja on Thursday, the Laboratory Blood Safety Programme Manager, Institute of Human Virology, Abdullahi Abubakar has disclosed that blood donation lowers the risk of cancer and heart attack.
Abubakar who made reference to a publication by Miller Keystone Blood Centre stated that “Donating blood regularly helps the males in particular to reduce the amount of iron in their blood, which reduces the chances of a heart attack by 88 per cent.
The high level of iron in the blood raises the chance of heart disease, but regular donation can reduce the risk of severe cardiovascular veins, such as stroke, by 33 per cent”.
He added that "Blood donation also enhances the production of new blood cells" stressing that when blood is withdrawn, the donor’s body immediately begins to replenish the lost blood within 24 hours of donation.
The World Blood Donor Day is a day marked by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank blood donors for their voluntary, life saving gifts of blood.
“All the red blood cells the donor loses during donation are completely replaced within one month or two". He further disclosed that it "could also afford the donor an opportunity to a free health screening and to saving lives".
