Latest update November 29th, 2024 1:00 AM
Blood Bank targets ambitious 10,000 units for 2011
Manager of the NBTS hameeza Mangal
By Rabindra Rooplall
For last year, statistics from the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) recorded that 8,000 units of blood was donated, 80 per cent coming from voluntary donors. However, the Blood Bank was expecting 9,000 units for last year.
It is expected that to meet the total demand for blood in Guyana, donors should be donating about 12,000 units per year.
According to reports, 9,494 donors visited the NBTS last year which means that approximately 2.25 per cent of the adult population has donated blood. Most of the blood is used by the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) since more complicated surgeries are conducted at this medical facility.
According to Manager of the NBTS, Shameeza Mangal, continued support from the media is vital if the nation is to reach the target of 100 per cent voluntary blood donations.
The Manager of NBTS said that this year the target is set for 10,000 units of blood of which almost a 100 per cent of voluntary donors are expected to be recruited.
It was also revealed that the blood bank is seeking 100 per cent voluntary blood donors who are dubbed Good Samaritans under their programme, which targets two per cent of the adult population. “This reflects a personal gift and their confidence in their sexual lifestyle or their medical condition.”
It was noted that the Good Samaritan Programme has shown development each year since 2004 when voluntary donors represented 18 per cent. In 2005 it grew to 22 per cent; 2006 to 31 per cent; 2007 to 38 per cent, 2008 to 55 per cent and 2009 to 68 per cent.
Mangal said when each blood donation is given, eight blood-borne disease tests are done. These include tests for five Sexual Transmitted Diseases — HIV, HTLV, syphilis, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C— and three vector type diseases— filaria, malaria, and chagas. Tests can take as long as 72 hours before the blood is ready for distribution.
She explained that blood components are separated into divisions in a laboratory. The shelf life of whole blood is 35 days; blast frozen plasma can last up to one year, platelets can last up to five days. (However many patients only need one part of the blood and not the whole blood.)
A person having open heart surgery could require as much as 22 units of blood. People involved in accidents could also need as much as nine units of blood, while pregnant women needing blood can utilize as much as seven to nine units of blood.
She said ideally the blood banks needs 50 eligible donors on a daily basis, however, sometimes only three blood donors would come forward. And persons must be at least 17-years old and weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and be in basic good health. However, persons who don’t give a full unit of blood when they are donating makes the blood go to waste since it’s not the full quota that is needed. “It has to be a full unit of blood.”
It was further disclosed that when the blood is taken from a donor, the blood is screened then it is separated into parts by a machine, which makes it possible for plasma, platelets and cryoprecipitate to be available for patients.
She noted also that the National Blood Bank is not a part or department of any hospital in Guyana. Nevertheless, the blood bank only communicates with hospitals to provide a service, and recruiting blood donors. “We hand over the blood to the labs which then becomes a medical property and the blood bank has nothing else to do with that.”
Ms Mangal noted that the blood bank has hopes of dedicating a day for Media personnel’s later this year so they can lead by example and donate blood for a worthy cause which would be in saving a life, while relatives and family member of Media operatives would also be welcome. (This Media Merge would include all media operatives in the printed, radio and television personnel’s)
She said that it is very expensive for the blood bank to pack up and go on a mobile patrol and receive an undesired amount of donors. And as such the blood bank depends on the kindness of voluntary donors.
There are Blood Banks in Regions Two, Three, Four, Six and Ten
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