The Ministry of Health this afternoon issued an urgent appeal for blood donors saying that it was down to 15 units when it should usually have 150.
Below is the text of Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy’s statement.
“The Ministry of Health is issuing an SOS for blood. We are requesting regular blood donors or anyone who want to be a donor to please come forward to donate blood.
After issuing blood to the various hospitals, we are presently left with only 15 units of blood. Our regular stock at the National Blood Bank needs to maintain a stock of at least 150 units of blood.
This is a critical situation and an emergency.
To accommodate persons who want to donate, The National Blood Bank at GPHC will be open on Sunday December 26th and Monday December 27th from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
The Ministry of Health is closely monitoring our stock of blood products.
December is usually the slowest month for blood collection. The fewest blood drives occur in December. For various reasons organizations and individuals who work with us to organize blood drives usually find it difficult to mobilize.
However, we are also faced with the reality that December is also a month of peak demand for blood.
The tendency of collaborators and donors to take a break in December is in direct conflict with the high demand for blood products in December.
It is this context that I make this personal appeal. We need at least 150 donors during the two days to meet the expected demand for blood products in our hospitals during this festive week.
It is a season of giving. There is no better gift than the gift of life. Give blood and you would have given the gift of life to someone.
Please walk into the National Blood Transfusion Service Center in Georgetown and at hospitals in Regions 2, 3, 6, and 10 to donate blood.
Please help to keep our family and friends safe during the holiday season.
To make your donation, please visit one of the following facilities:
· National Blood Transfusion Service, GPHC Compound, Lamaha Street, Georgetown
· New Amsterdam Regional Hospital –
Telephone# 333-2271
· West Demerara Regional Hospital –
Telephone # 254-1256
· Suddie Regional Hospital
Telephone # 774-4227
· Linden Hospital – telephone # 444-6127”
Hon. Leslie Ramsammy
Minister of Health
