Excitement as Sterling Oil initiates Blood Donor Club in Nigeria
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
“The Blood Donor Club will actively promote voluntary blood donation among employees raise awareness and working together as partners fostering a culture of giving, Sterling Oil will continue its work towards making a meaningful and lasting impact in the communities we serve.”
The DEFENDER, a global online newspaper, reports that foremost oil exploration company with commitment to humanitarian and human capital development, Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO), has taken a step further by forming a SEEPCO Blood Donor Club in its bid to ensure timely healthcare delivery service to people, particularly of its host communities in Nigeria.
This club, according to our findings, has the primary aim of creating a reliable platform through which the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee (LSBTC) and other healthcare providers can reach out for blood donations in times of emergency.
It will be recalled that SEEPCO, since inception, has been committed to providing its employees with all the necessary healthcare facilities and support structures in case of any emergency across work locations in Nigeria.
The company, being one of the fastest-growing oil exploration and production companies in Africa, is also dedicatedly serving its host communities with significant healthcare outreach programmes and regular medical camps covering health issues including high, cough, malaria, typhoid, blood pressure, skin rashes and other ailments in different Local Government Areas (LGAs) providing free consultations, medicines and basic laboratory tests on spot.
Motivated by and as a part of this strong commitment to healthcare, The DEFENDER can comfortably reports, that the company’s employees are also decided to take a step forward in this same direction for giving back to the community by forming the blood donor club.
A statement from the company, made available to the media on Friday, said, “Sterling Oil’s supported non-profit organizations especially VCDF (Vcare for Development) Foundation) are already working in partnership with the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee (LSBTC) the Nigerian Red Cross Society and other health organisations in their initiatives of blood donation drives for issues encompassing critical blood shortage, emergency patients need, mothers in childbirth, accident victims, and sick children, to access life-saving blood.
“Since 2022, VCDF, along with the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee (LSBTC) has been organising annual blood donation drives involving volunteers from Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO), through this initiative, VCDF has contributed more than 850 pints of blood to the state’s blood bank helping over 2000 patients and their families.
“This milestone underscores VCDF’s unwavering commitment to saving lives, fostering a culture of voluntary blood donation, and addressing Nigeria’s critical blood shortage issues.”
Speaking in the club at an occasion, by Dr. B. I. Osikomaiya, Executive Secretary Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee (LSBTC), appreciated the SEEPCO Blood Donor Club, noting its role as having been a very thoughtful initiative.
Osikomaiya further stated that, “This is a laudable initiative and aligns perfectly with our goal of ensuring a safe, sufficient, and readily available blood supply across Lagos State. The creation of a structured donor club will provide a sustainable and dependable platform for emergency blood mobilization, especially in critical times. We are particularly pleased to know about this voluntary donor club comprising SEEPCO employees,” she said.
Speaking also at the event, Mrs. Olayinka Animashaun, Head of the Donor Recruitment Unit at LSBTC, praised SEEPCO and VCDF’s ommitment as she highlighted the positive impact the campaign has had on public health.
She encouraged that blood donation drives like the one with SEEPCO should be held twice a year to help bridge the existing gap in blood availability.
On the occasion, Dr. Chris Offokansi, Chief General Manager Human Resource & Industrial Relations of SEEPCO, said, “Through this initiative, Sterling Oil continues to reaffirm its commitment to support public health and life-saving efforts across Nigeria.
“The Blood Donor Club will actively promote voluntary blood donation among employees raise awareness and working together as partners fostering a culture of giving, Sterling Oil will continue its work towards making a meaningful and lasting impact in the communities we serve.”
