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NBTS in dire need of blood – Giftland Staff makes donation
Just weeks after Demerara Shipping Company Ltd got the ball rolling with the donation of blood to the National Blood Bank (NBB), Giftland Office Max yesterday carried out its first blood drive for this year.
Giftland employees donating blood yesterday at the National Blood Bank.
The company’s Media Coordinator attached to Marketing and Public Relations Office, Delroy Dash, told Kaieteur News that yesterday’s blood drive is one of many which the company have conducted. He added that approximately 20 members of staff have volunteered to donate blood.
He explained that this is the fourth consecutive year that Giftland has been partnering with the Blood Transfusion Unit and Red Cross to make these donations.
“We know the importance of it, the significance of it and we also understand the urgency for blood… our employees have been really enthusiastic about the idea of giving blood,” Dash stated.
He went on to emphasise the importance of corporate society being a part of activities of this nature. “As a corporate entity, Giftland Office Max has been trying our best to fit the role
National Blood Bank
of a corporate citizen… being involved in social development, it’s all a part of what Giftland really represents. We are a part of the community and we try to be involved as much as we could.”
Nurse Thandika Dundas of the National Blood Transfusion Service, addressed the dire need for blood at the NGG. She said, “We need the donors more than they need us, so we are willing to work around the clock, by any means necessary to ensure that there’s a sufficient amount of blood.”
She explained that the demand for blood is so high that the bank is appealing to members of the public to come in and donate so that they would always have an adequate supply. She pointed out that the NBB has the task of supplying the entire country with blood, both public and private hospitals and as such, as soon as there is a large intake on blood, it is shipped out to hospitals and health institutions across Guyana.
“ I cannot stress enough on the demand for blood, because as soon as we retrieve units of blood from a blood drive, its gone… it doesn’t matter if we have 600 units today, because by the next day it would go down to 200 units…”
Dundas emphasised that the idea is for persons to understand the importance of ensuring that blood is always in the bank, and that there is never enough or too much.
“We don’t want persons to think that because we just had a blood drive… or because seven organisations just brought employees to donate, that we have enough blood in the bank, because the demand is always there.”
She made reference to the fact that babies are being born every day, cancer patients are always in need of blood components, and people are coming down with communicable diseases by the dozens, and as such more donors would have to come on board.
Nurse Dundas explained that most people would usually wait until a family member has the need for blood before they even consider donating. She went on to discuss the benefits and requirements for becoming a donor, which include the opportunity to regenerate blood cells, and save lives.
The NBB also encourages other companies interested in carrying out blood drives to rally their employees, and indicate this information to them. NBB staff will visit the place of business at a time of their convenience in order to carry out the drive.
The NBB also indicated that in cases where the business place is too small or congested, they would go as far as arranging transportation to pick up employees from their place of business, and bring them to the NBB so as to make the donating process easier.
Members of the public who wish to donate on their own volition, and those who plan to donate with co-workers through blood drives organised by their place of business, must have attained the age of 16 years with the consent of a parent or guardian, or attained the age of 17, must weigh over 110lbs, must have a Haemoglobin count (Hb) that is more than 12.5, and must not be suffering from cold or flu at the time of donating.
Blood donors are eligible to donate every two months.
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