Blood Donation App, Life Bank, Launches in Nigeria

Simplifying the process of donating and receiving safe blood has been a priority in Nigeria’s health sector. Over the years, the campaign by government, advocacy groups and health professionals to encourage blood donation has intensified, with outreach to people via mass media, text messages, email and other channels. Blood donation – even with all of these – still isn’t as popular as it should be, though many people know how a life can be on the brink without blood. To provide further support, an app for blood donation, Life Bank App, launched over the weekend. The initiative was put together by technology entrepreneur, Oo Nwoye and Temie Giwa. Life Bank makes it easy to give and receive blood; it requires a simple signup on the website. The Nigerian Ministry of Communications Technology tweeted about the app launch event, and there have been several more tweets by prominent people in the social media circle in Nigeria.