Bernard Appiah (PH) PI, University of Ghana / National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health, sub-award. 7/1/2020-6/31/2025
This NHLBI-funded study aims to design, implement and evaluate community-based strategies for increasing the blood-donor pool in Ghana. It is one of three consortia funded under the NHLBI’s BLOODSAFE program to improve the availability and safety of blood in Sub-Saharan Africa. Dr. Appiah’s role in the project involves designing, implementing and evaluating docu-drama, WhatsApp and active community group interventions to encourage first-time blood donors to become repeat blood donors. The study will use implementation science approaches and randomized controlled trials to design and test the feasibility, cultural appropriateness, acceptability and effectiveness of community-based interventions for promoting blood donation. Results are expected to provide the needed scientific evidence for using such approaches to increase blood donation in Sub-Saharan Africa.