NBTS reaches 'safe zone' for weekend surgeries

NBTS reaches ‘safe zone’ for weekend surgeries

Mar 07, 2009 News

As a result of the blood drive held by Kaieteur News yesterday, and the Good Samaritan work of members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) was able to acquire 71 units of blood yesterday.

Publisher of KN Glenn Lall (centre) and other donors giving blood.

Out of that number, 54 units were from voluntary donations, while 17 units were from family replacements.
Kaieteur News was able to acquire a total of 12 units, with the majority being from its staff members.
With the 71 units from yesterday and the 28 units collected on Thursday, the blood bank has now reached the ‘safe zone’ for providing an adequate amount of blood for the number of surgeries to be conducted over the weekend.
However, despite reaching this zone, National Blood Donor Manager of the NBTS, Shameeza Mangal, said that the blood bank is still welcoming donors of all blood types, since there will be emergency cases at various hospitals, and as such more blood will need to be at hand to facilitate the emergency process.
Meanwhile, Minister of Health Dr. Leslie Ramsammy expressed his satisfaction with the involvement of media houses in leading the process, in particular Kaieteur News.
He noted that this newspaper has displayed strong leadership, and as such he is thankful.
The Minister also expressed sentiments to GINA and NCN for providing blood donors, along with the GDF and members of the public for coming forward to save lives.
“With this here, Guyanese have demonstrated their willingness to be blood donors and to save lives… and that is why I am confident that Guyana will reach its 100 per cent voluntary donation next year,” Minister Ramsammy said.
The blood bank is experiencing a severe shortage of blood, as the NBTS was tasked with the responsibility of acquiring some 48 units of blood by today so as to facilitate three open-heart surgeries at the Georgetown Public Hospital this weekend.
This is not the first time that the blood bank has been faced with a severe shortage of blood, as only a few months ago the NBTS did not even have enough to facilitate an emergency.
The severe shortage comes at a time when the Health Ministry has banned all private hospitals from collecting and screening blood, as it was explained that they need to reach the same testing standards as the NBTS.