Latest update March 25th, 2025 7:08 AM
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NBTS still low on blood
The situation at the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) seems to be getting worse on a daily basis, as the bank is still pleading for voluntary donors.
Currently, the NBTS is still experiencing a severe shortage of blood, due to the increase in demand at the various hospitals across the country. However, the entity is relying on a series of blood drives, which are scheduled to take place this month and in the early part of April.
National Blood Donor Manager of the NBTS, Shameeza Mangal
National Blood Donor Manager of the NBTS, Shameeza Mangal told Kaieteur News yesterday that the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation along with Scotiabank will host blood drives on Friday, while sensitisation programmes will soon commence in Linden for a major blood drive sometime in the month of April.
This will be the first time that the mining town of Linden will be involved in a blood drive and, according to Mangal, a total of 60 units of blood is expected to be collected.
Meanwhile, on March 25, DOCOL along with the Neal and Massy Group of Companies are also expected to host a two-day blood drive.
On March 28, the Scouts Association of Guyana in keeping with its 100th anniversary will also host a blood drive and is hoping to collect a total of 100 units, while on March 31 it will be the turn of the Guyana Red Cross in collaboration with School of the Nations.
Mangal explained that there has not been any improvement in the number of persons voluntarily donating blood, as only a few would walk into the bank on a daily basis.
Recently the NBTS issued a statement asking persons to urgently donate blood, as it was explained that over the holidays there were a number of serious illnesses and accident cases that required surgery.
Since this follows on the heels of the four open-heart surgeries, the stock of blood at the blood bank is low.
Meanwhile, when asked to comment on the continuous shortage of blood, Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy had said that the Georgetown Public Hospital is now involved in more complicated surgeries, such as open-heart surgeries and kidney transplants, and as such more blood is required.
He added that the health sector is expanding its services to the people, and now the need for 10,000 to 12,000 units of blood is fast becoming a reality.
The Health Minister explained that between 50-75 units need to be collected on a daily basis, so as to ensure that the bank has adequate stock in place to facilitate an emergency at any time. (Fareeza Haniff).
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