The National Blood Transfusion Service has set its target for this year at 8,000 units of blood, which is 1,000 more than the level set and attained last year, as 70% of the units collected by the department came voluntarily from the public.
This was disclosed by Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy at the Hotel Tower on Sunday where a small ceremony was held in observance of World Blood Donor Day 2009.
According to Ramsammy, the NBTS has collected some 3,500 units of blood as at last week and he noted that Guyanese have been contributing to the national blood drive significantly over the years. He said there are 105 organizations which have been donating blood voluntarily to the NBTS with some 2,500 persons on record as registered donors. Among these are schools, business places, non-governmental and governmental organizations such as the Guyana Defence Force, UNICEF and Ansa McAl to name a few. Ramsammy singled out the Seva Guyana group of Cornelia Ida on the West Coast Demerara which has contributed some 214 units of blood this year. He said as part of that organization’s blood drive this year in observance of the arrival of East Indians in Guyana, the group challenged its members to donate blood voluntarily in line with the number of years East Indians have been in this country. He challenged other groups to take similar steps noting that one may never know when he/she may be in need of blood.
He said that blood donated to the NBTS is 100% safe after screening as Guyana has come a long way in its blood drive. He said when the Ministry of Health was confronted years ago with many persons “showing up” at medical institutions in need of blood, physicians, nurses and other medical staff faced difficult challenges in sourcing blood .He said today the NBTS can guarantee anyone in need of blood of its availability since the department has an adequate supply.
Ramsammy informed that there are currently 81million units of blood in use around the world and of this figure 35 million units are in use in developed countries where 80% of the world’s population lives. He said, however, the frightening thought to note is that 50% of the blood in use worldwide is not safe since some 20 countries cannot guarantee HIV screening. Noting that blood is not safe in every country, the minister pointed out that the Ministry of Health had stopped private medical institutions from collecting blood from donors since those hospitals cannot screen adequately.
As regards the collection of blood from men who have sex with men and commercial sex workers, Ramsammy said the ministry will not bend its rules regarding the disapproval of this practice. He said personally he will not address that issue nor does he want to make a moral judgement. Ramsammy warned those in the health sector, however, not to ignore the rules as he recalled the NBTS was urged on one occasion to discard a unit of blood since the donor was not honest while going through the donation process.
He said that as the Ministry of Health expands its health care services such as open heart surgery, kidney transplant and caesarian section operations, more blood will be needed. He said Guyanese need to recognize that they can all make a difference in saving people’s lives. In this light he said the life expectancy age of 70 years is expected to climb to 75 years by 2015 once blood is available. He expressed a special thank you to all “good Samaritans” who have donated blood regularly.
At the forum a few persons gave testimonials on the positive impact blood donation has had on the lives of their loved ones. Among them was Patrick Mentore, who said about a month ago his wife was sick for about 16 days and was in need of some 3 units of blood. Mentore said his wife would have died if she had not received the units of blood. He thanked those who saved his wife’s life and urged persons to contribute to the blood drive.
According to the NBTS, Guyana needs approximately 10,000 units of blood each year in order to meet medical needs for blood or for blood components in medical institutions across the country. Voluntary donation in Guyana is currently at 66% and in order to achieve its target of 100% voluntary donations by 2010, the NBTS is urging members of the public to save a life by donating blood.
