There is agony across African countries as blood shortage hits crisis level.
This year, there have been reported cases of acute blood shortage in hospitals across Uganda, Ghana, Kenya, leaving patients stranded and in the worst case, death has been the painful result.
Health professionals have attributed this shortage to a decline in blood donation exercises and some cultural and religious beliefs which do not permit people to donate blood.
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As the world celebrates blood donor day today, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said it is worried that the African continent is not meeting its blood needs, as people continue to die due to blood shortages.
The trend can be reverted if there is an adequate supply of safe blood through regular, voluntary and unpaid donations, the organization has said.
In the meantime, here are what Africans are doing just to get blood to save a life:
