The Gambia Association of Blood Donors (GAMBLOOD) on Sunday held a one-day session on blood donation to encourage more people to donate blood.

The occasion, characterized by a march-past from Bundung Lower Basic School to the Jammeh Foundation for Peace Hospital (JFPH), also witnessed the inauguration of a new blood transfusion committee for JFPH.

In his speech on behalf of the CEO of the Jammeh Foundation for Peace, Mr Saikou Ceesay described the committee as timely, saying that people need not to travel to Banjul to donate blood as transfusion facility is now available at the JFPH.

He observed that donating blood doesn’t cause any harm to the donor.

Rohey Njie Secka, president of Gamblood, encouraged people to come out in their numbers to donate blood.

Mam Jara Nyabally from the National Health Laboratories said that there are many patients in the hospitals that are in need of blood.

She encouraged all healthy persons between the ages of 16 and 65 to donate blood.

At the end of the session, several people, mostly youths, volunteered and donated blood. Among the blood donors was one Modou Sowe. "I am donating blood to help my fellow human beings in need so as to save lives. This is my first time to donate blood and I would continue to donate and I feel happy in given it out. I am appealing to all my friends to also donate blood," he said.

The session was also punctuated by a drama play on the importance of donating blood by the Bundung Home Red Cross Link Drama team.