SERAP TO SANWO-OLU: Obey court ruling on compulsory blood donations in Lagos hospitals

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to obey the court ruling stopping compulsory blood donations in the state’s hospitals.

Justice Raliat Adebiyi of the Lagos High Court, had on Monday, March 2, held that demanding compulsory blood donation from those seeking medical attention including maternity services in Lagos State, was arbitrary, unfair and a violation of their human rights including the rights to life and to equal opportunity for everyone within the health system.

The court ruling was sequel to a suit levelled against Lagos State by SERAP.

The organisation has, therefore, urged Sanwo-Olu to use his leadership position to “instruct the Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi to immediately, fully and effectively enforce the judgment stopping all Lagos hospitals and health facilities from demanding compulsory blood donations from any patients or their relatives as precondition for medical attention either in antenatal and maternal or any other health services.”

In the letter dated March 3, 2020 and signed by SERAP deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said:

“The enforcement of the judgment will be a special moment for the implementation of the government’s strategies towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as it will improve the chances of everyone including women during and after childbirth, and ensure quality health services, which will contribute to the promotion of these goals.

“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.”

The letter read, in part: “The enforcement of the judgment will also show Lagos State as a champion of the SDGs and be entirely consistent with international standards and best practices, including those developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), which recognize that the safest blood donors are voluntary, non-remunerated blood donors. The WHO has in fact recommended that no coercion should be brought to bear upon the donor to donate.”

The letter further stated, “The effective enforcement of the judgment will also improve maternal health, comply with WHO’s policy to improve the availability and use of safe blood to save the lives of women during and after childbirth, as well as ensure universal access to safe blood transfusion particularly for patients that are vulnerable to blood shortages and to HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections, in support of the SDGs.”

READ ALSO: Sacked Bayelsa deputy governor-elect planning suicide – Sylva

“The judgment in suit number ID/2759GCM/2018 also ordered the Lagos State Government to immediately stop and discontinue the policy of insisting on compulsory blood donations from patients or relatives of those seeking medical care and attention before accessing ante-natal, maternal or any health services in all public hospitals and health facilities in Lagos State.”

“We hope that the aspects highlighted will help guide your actions in instructing Professor Abayomi to enforce and implement the judgment by Justice Adebiyi’s judgment.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now