Nigeria: SERAP asks Lagos State Governor to stop compulsory blood donations

The Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu got an open letter on March 3, 2020, from the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) urging him to instruct the Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi to immediately and effectively enforce the judgment of stopping all Lagos hospitals and health facilities from demanding compulsory blood donations from any patients or their relatives.

Following the step taken by SERAP, Justice Raliat Adebiyi of the Lagos High Court iterated that demanding compulsory blood donation from those seeking medical attention including maternity services, is arbitrary, unfair and a violation of their human rights.

The letter mentions that the enforcement of the judgment will be a strong step in the implementation of the government's strategies towards the Sustainable Development Goals as it will improve the chances of everyone including women during and after childbirth, and ensure quality health services. The letter was signed by the deputy director of SERAP, Kolawole Oluwadare

In the letter, SERAP said, "as Justice Adebiyi stated in her judgment, your enforcement of the judgment will be consistent with Section 33 of Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended), which guarantees the right to life; and articles 2(a),3 and 12(1) of the International Convention on Economic Social and Cultural Rights, which requires the health system including in Lagos State to provide equal opportunity for everyone. Nigeria has ratified the covenant."

World Health Organization (WHO), says that the safest blood donors are voluntary, the one who does not donate blood for any kind of payment. The WHO has in fact recommended that no one should force the donor to donate.