The General Overseer of the Calvary Charismatic Center (CCC), Rev. Ransford Obeng, has urged Ghanaians to embrace voluntary blood donation as an act of service to humanity, saying his annual birthday celebrations have for the past decade been dedicated to saving lives through blood drives.

Speaking at a blood donation exercise held on Saturday (6 June) to mark his 70th birthday, Rev. Obeng said the initiative is driven by his belief that life should be used to serve others rather than personal gain.

He said the annual exercise, which has run for 10 years, was inspired by the need to address shortages of blood in hospitals, particularly in emergency cases such as road traffic accidents.

“I think that life is all about how you use what God has given you to help other people,” he said. “Anything God gives you is not meant for you alone, it is meant for all people.”

“One of the things that kill Ghanaians is accident, and when accidents happen they need a lot of blood,” he said. “Sometimes there is no blood available and before relatives come it is too late.”

Rev. Obeng also appealed for safer driving practices, citing reckless driving and poor road conditions as major contributors to preventable deaths.

“Our roads are not good. Drivers should take time and exercise patience,” he said.

He further addressed cultural misconceptions about blood donation, warning against beliefs that donated blood is used for rituals.

“Anybody who donates blood to a recognised hospital is helping to save lives,” he said.

The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) Blood Bank, which also serves as the Ashanti Regional Blood Centre under the National Blood Service, supported the exercise, collecting units of blood to replenish supplies across the region.

Chief Executive Officer of the National Blood Service, Dr. Shirley Owusu Ofori, praised the initiative, describing it as a model of community partnership in healthcare delivery.

She said the CCC-led annual donation drive had contributed significantly to saving lives beyond KATH, as collected blood is distributed to multiple hospitals across the region and country.

“Lives have been saved through this partnership,” she said. “We don’t take blood donation merely as a medical act; it goes beyond stretching your arm.”

Dr. Owusu Ofori encouraged other religious and civic organisations to adopt similar initiatives, noting that regular donors remain healthy even after donating blood multiple times.

She said the annual exercise aligns with global efforts ahead of World Blood Donor Day, highlighting the importance of voluntary donation in strengthening national blood supplies.

The event attracted hundreds of church members and members of the public who participated in the screening and donation exercise, contributing to what organisers described as a sustained effort to support Ghana’s healthcare system.