Nigeria, March 21 -- The leadership of Jehovah's Witnesses has announced a change to its long-standing position on blood transfusion, allowing members to decide whether their own blood may be removed, stored, and returned during medical treatment.

The announcement was made through a video statement by Gerrit Losch, a member of the group's Governing Body.

"Each Christian must decide for himself how his own blood will be used in all medical and surgical care," he said, adding that this includes "whether to allow his own blood to be removed, stored, and then given back to him."

Jehovah's Witnesses, a Christian-based religious movement known for its door-to-door evangelism, reports about 144,000 members in the United Kingdom and approximat...