*Corresponding ISSRA Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Studies Abbreviated Key Title: ISSRA J Art Hum Soci Stu Religion Based Voluntary Blood Donation (VBD) Intervention: An Analysis of How Should It Proceed in Sokoto State, Northwestern Nigeria under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 (CC BY-NC 4.0) International License

Abstract

Background: Blood is inevitable in the life of humans. Presently, there is need for voluntary blood donation in Sokoto state to substitute the harmful predominant donation forms (paid and replacement), which are capable of instigating more adversities. Been Sokoto a religious state, the very useful tool to achieve voluntary blood donation can be through religion (traditional leaders, and religious clerics). Aim and Objectives: This paper synthesized the possible ways of using religious platforms to achieve the said goal.

Full text

*Corresponding Author: Yusuf Sarkingobir
1
ISSRA Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Studies
Abbreviated Key Title: ISSRA J Art Hum Soci Stu
ISSN: 2583-3774(online)
Published By ISSRA Publishers
Recived:.07.07.2022| Accepted: 15.07.2022| Published: 23.07.2022
Volume- 1| Issue-3 | Jul-Aug-2022
Religion Based Voluntary Blood Donation (VBD) Intervention: An Analysis of
How Should It Proceed in Sokoto State, Northwestern Nigeria
Yusuf Sarkingobir*1
Malami Dikko2
1Department of Biology Shehu Shagari College of Education Sokoto, Nigeria
2Sultan Abdurrahman College of Health Technology Gwadabawa, Sokoto, Nigeria
Abstract: Background: Blood is inevitable in the life of humans. Presently, there is need for voluntary blood donation in Sokoto state to substitute the
harmful predominant donation forms (paid and replacement), which are capable of instigating more adversities. Been Sokoto a religious state, the very
useful tool to achieve voluntary blood donation can be through religion (traditional leaders, and religious clerics). Aim and Objectives: This paper
synthesized the possible ways of using religious platforms to achieve the said goal. Materials and Methods: Related Secondary data was broached from
Google. Result: Brief history of Sokoto, importance of health in Islam, the link between religion and public health, the Islamic ruling on blood
donation, lessons from related intervention, and what should be done were discussed. Conclusion: This paper synthesized the possible ways of using
religious platforms to achieve the voluntary blood donation among the residents in Sokoto state, Nigeria.
Keywords: Renaissance, India, Vedanta
Copyright © 2022 The Author(s): This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 (CC BY-NC 4.0) International
License.
INTRODUCTION
Blood is a vital component of human body
system, which there is no way a body can work without
it. No substitute is available for human blood; hence it
can only be gotten from the human sources [1].
Nowadays, the advancement in medicine ,adverse crisis
such as environmental hazards, the increased number of
surgeries, accidents, among others required more blood
bank so as transfusion can be carried out to salvage
lives from avoidable morbidities and mortalities [2].The
current predominantly practiced form of blood
donations in Sokoto state are paid and replacement ones
,which are not supportive to obtaining 100% sustainable
voluntary blood donation in the state ,and can pull the
victims to catastrophic health expenditure, and
ultimately more poverty and hardship (health
inequalities). Hence, the need to search for clue to
encourage and mobilize people for VBD. Because
Sokoto is a religious state,and other health interventions
like polio uses religion and recorded successes, this
paper ought to analyze the candidature of using religion
to crave for 100 % sustainable voluntary blood donation
(SVD).
Brief History of Sokoto State
By 1817, jihad occurred which swept across
Bilad Sudan ( Western Sudan /West Africa ) and
resulted in the formation of Caliphate by 1804
consisting of over 31 emirates .The Caliphate was
founded on the basis of justices, integrity, honesty, and
multicultural statecraft, and mutual coexistence within
the dimensions of political leadership, economics,
social imperatives and diplomatic affairs. In 1903, the
colonialists disrupted the Caliphate and made it under
their watch using indirect rule for easy grasp. Still the
modern Nigeria has continue to be conditioned by the
footprints of the pioneer Sokoto Caliphate [3, 4].
Sokoto state is located in the Northwest
geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The state was created in
1976 comprising of 23 local government areas namely,
Binji, Bodinga ,Dange-Shuni, Gada,Goronyo, Gudu,
Gwadabawa, Illela, Tangaza,Tureta, Wamakko, Wurno,
and Yabo. Sokoto state, the seat of the Caliphate, has a
population of 3, 696,99 million based on 2006 census,
consisting of predominantly Hausa /Fulani people, and
other minority groups like Zabarmawa, Tuareg, who
speak Hausa as the predominant language of
communication. It remains predominantly Muslim state,
and the centre of Islam and learning. The Sultan is the
head of the Caliphate and wielded power as the spiritual
Muslim leader in the country and neighbouring
countries. In every local government there are at least
two district heads, which are turbaned by the Sultan,
and the public have much respect to them. They have
no precise political or official power in government,
rather than ceremonial and traditional influence. In fact,
there are no group of people who exerts power over the
common men (their subjects) like them. Under the
district heads there are Hakimai and below them there
are others. This shows a hierrachy of good structure,
which serve as vehicle for influencing the public. This
same opportunity utilized by colonialists to maintain
power and the polio eradication strategies. The other
groups that wielded power over the public are the
clerics. Atleast, in the state there are the Sunni (Izala
and Dariqa) and Shia groups. The Sunni groups have
been useful in overcoming the noncompliance to polio
immunization through advice, sermons, and preachings.
They can also be useful in delivering campaigns
seeking voluntary blood donation in the state [4].
Importance of Health in Islam
Health is a necessary condition needed to
preserve life [5]. Imam Gazali said "A proper
Research
Article

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Sarkingobir, Y., & Dikko, M. (2021). Religion Based Voluntary Blood Donation (VBD) Intervention: An Analysis of How Should It Proceed in
Sokoto State, Northwestern Nigeria. ISSRA Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, 1(3), 1-3
understanding and implementation of religion, from the
standpoint of both knowledge and worship, can only be
arrived at through physical health and life preservation
". That is why Islam gives paramount recognition and
careful attention to health, Muhammad pbuh said
"Second to faith, no one has ever given a bigger
blessing than health ". He also said "No one will step
his feet further until he gave answers on how he spent
his life and how he utilized his health ".Every Muslim
has right to health and its protection as one of the roles
vested upon him, leaders and the society at large. Allah
(swt) says "He has set the balance of everything, so that
you might not transgress the balance .Give just weight
and fall not short in balance [6].
An individual has to protect his health, because
a Hadith said "Your body has a right over you ".The
society too has the responsibility of promoting anything
that will enhance and protect the health of its members,
in view of what Prophet said " There should be no harm
on oneself and others "; "Whosoever harm others call
for Allah's curse on him " and " Whosoever believe in
the last day should not harm his neighbourhood " [6].
The Link between Religion and Public Health
There are millions of people that attend places
of worships every day during any event, thus these
places serve as candidates where public health
interventions like encouraging people to voluntary
blood donation can be addressed. Religious places,
groups, or leaders are essential in encouraging people to
health promotion, healthy lifestyles, and the benefits of
blood donation. Religious places, groups, and leaders,
also serve as platform to contact "hard to reach". Faith-
based organizations have a number of assets useful for
voluntary blood donation interventions. These assets
includes ,accessible buildings, strong culture of
volunteering, and experienced volunteer, longevity in
community, developed trusted relationship with the
community over a long period of time [7,8]. There are
fortunate reports saying that". Faith-based programmes
can improve health outcomes. Community-based health
programmes have produced significant impacts on
diverse health behaviours [9]. Communities where high
proportion of the populations inclined to religious
groups have better health. Religious involvement
predicts greater longevity and lower mortality.
Delinquency and crime rates are less frequent in
religious people. Religious people are more likely to
abstain drugs. Religion is more likely to prevent
promiscuous sex behaviours [8-11].
Ruling on Blood Donation
In Islam there are prohibitions and lawful
things. When there are needs, even the prohibitions can
be lifted. Parable, when a person is hungry, he is
allowed to eat an unlawful food like pork and dead
body to save his life from morbidity or mortality when
there is no any other alternative. This stressed the
importance accorded to health and life giving by Islam
to the humans. Thus, many Muslims scholars, and
organizations, resolves on the lawfulness of donation of
organs, tissues, let alone blood when it is inevitable.
From other hand there are many verses and hadith's
stating the injunctions calling on Muslims to save
"selves and other lives ". In Quran it is clearly stated
that whoso ever, killed one soul, is like he killed the
whole world. And whoso ever help to live one soul, is
like he give life to the whole world [12, 13].
Lessons that Should Be Learnt From Other
Noncompliance to Voluntary Blood Donation
Promotion: Parable, Polio Immunization
Noncompliance in the North
Prior to 2017, there are much concerns of polio
epidemiology in Nigeria, particularly in the North
(Sokoto state included), because of significant number
of cases, coupled with noncompliance drawn from
religious sentiments [14]. Fortunately, to address the
said situations, many approaches were employed, one
of which involved the engagement of traditional leaders
[15]. Therein, traditional community leaders are used
for advocacy, community participation, and campaigns
[16]. Thus, a remarkable progress was attained. In this
light, the blood donation can be achieved if these same
approaches are applied using community/ reliable
leaders. They are good vehicles for that job. Some of
their good qualities for obtaining voluntary blood
donation are:
 Sokoto is a religious state, there is no any new
intervention that can achieve success without
using the vehicle of traditional/community
leaders ,that is why the indirect rule was used
by the British colonialists
 Religious leaders/ organisations are the most
accessible to all and sundry compared to
elected or wealthy people. This idiosyncratic
nature give them and locals a better room for
interaction and exchange of ideas
 They are the most respected and trusted by the
locals, hence what they say is very weighty
 Diverse people, from diverse age groups, sex,
regions, locations etc attain prayers, or many
other occasions and interact with religious
leaders
 They have volunteers which are good,
resilient, cheap and useful [17]
Thus, religious/ traditional leaders should be
used for advocacy, community participation, and
campaigns to achieve more efficiency in voluntary
blood donation in Sokoto state. They should be
informed, consulted, involved, collaborated, and
empowered on benefits of voluntarily blood donation,
and effects of paid or replacement blood donation [18].
What Exactly Should Be Done?
Generally, religion should be used as vehicle for health
promotion [19]. Health promotion activities include
voluntary blood donation to save the life of receipient

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Sarkingobir, Y., & Dikko, M. (2021). Religion Based Voluntary Blood Donation (VBD) Intervention: An Analysis of How Should It Proceed in
Sokoto State, Northwestern Nigeria. ISSRA Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, 1(3), 1-3
and improve the health of the donor. Therein, Sarakuna,
Malammai, should be actively involved for voluntary
blood donation. Their words are sensitive, thus can
sensitise the public. Malammai should use their talents
to preach on the benefits and diasadvantges of shunning
blood donation, and harmfulness of relying on paid and
replacement donors.Thereafter daily sermons, weekly
sermons, and routine sermons, which are platforms for
creating awareness [20-25].
CONCLUSION
The possible ways of using religious platforms
(traditional and clerics) to achieve voluntary blood
donation among the residents in Sokoto state.
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