Over 6,000 units of blood collected during 2008

Dec 14, 2008 News

– Health Ministry

The Ministry of Health has revealed that, up to the end of November, a total of 6,927 units of blood were collected by the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS).
Of that number, voluntary blood donors contributed 3,900 units, some of them contributing to programmes organized by the NBTS.
According to the Health Ministry, the figure indicates that the NBTS accounted for 82 percent of the total volume of blood collected.

Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

It was noted that the other public hospitals accounted for 760 units of blood, of which only 13 percent were from voluntary donors; and the private hospitals collected 524 units of blood, none of which was through voluntary donation.
In this regard, the Ministry of Health is urging the private hospitals to promote voluntary donation of blood, as the ministry continues to make progress in recruiting more voluntary blood donors.
Just a few months ago, the NBTS had experienced a severe shortage of blood at the blood bank, and an ‘SOS’ was issued for persons to immediately donate blood, since it was explained that if a major disaster was to occur in the country, then the bank would not have had enough blood to utilize if the need arose.
However, although the blood bank is no longer in a crisis situation, persons are still being encouraged to donate, since blood is being used on a constant basis and, as such, supplies need to be replenished.
Kaieteur News was told that the severe shortage might have resulted from the drop in voluntary donors, especially during the hosting of CARIFESTA X in Guyana. Last July, Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy noted that, over the last year, there were approximately 1000 first-time donors, which established that the goal set by the Health Ministry to have 100 per cent voluntary donation by 2010 will be achieved.
Minister Ramsammy had also indicated that Guyana would have exceeded its target of acquiring 7500 units of blood by year end.
In the meantime, while there was a call for persons to donate blood on a constant basis, a PEPFAR report had revealed that there may still be problems with the management of blood in Guyana, as it was noted that the NBTS had dumped blood that was spoilt due to the lack of inadequate or inappropriate storage facilities.
However, Minister Ramsammy countered that the report is absolute nonsense, although he admitted that the blood bank indeed discards blood, something he said that all blood banks in the world do.