Jamaicans urged to donate more blood

Members of the public are being encouraged to make giving blood a regular routine, so that the island can move the annual 30,000 litres of blood collected to 60,000 litres.

Making the call, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Dunstan Bryan, said that “the very donation that you provide could save your life, or the life of someone you love. Every donation saves three lives”.

The permanent secretary was speaking at a World Blood Donor Day event held on June 14 at the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS), on Slipe Road in Kingston.

Bryan pointed out that the record of the NBTS is such that “we have no report of compromised position, because of blood transfusion”.

He noted that part of the blood donation message is also a personal responsibility campaign, and in order for persons to donate, “you must take your health into your own hands and be responsible for your health conditions”.

To facilitate more persons donating blood, the operating days for the Spanish Town Hospital Blood Collection Centre in St Catherine will be extended by one additional day.

Beginning on Monday, June 24, the centre will open on every Monday and Saturday.

The Ministry will also be launching the E-Delphyn Software, a platform designed to manage blood donation processes, making it easier to coordinate blood drives, track donor information, and ensure safe and efficient blood supply.

The software will play a critical role in supporting the work of blood donor organisers, ensuring that blood donations are managed effectively and efficiently.

Meanwhile, representative of the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), Ian Stein, said that blood transfusions are vital in healthcare, as they help patients facing life-threatening conditions to live longer.

He said that his organisation is working to get increased voluntary donations, so that persons can have “timely access to safe blood to save lives”.

Top Female Voluntary Donor, Sonya Binns Lawrence, told JIS News that donating blood to save lives is one of “my greatest passions, and it can only come from generous donors”.

“With three lives saved from one act of kindness, donating blood is a personal mission, and I am inspired by the stories of those whose lives have been transformed because of a stranger taking one hour out of their day to donate. Together we can ensure that the blood bank is stocked, and ready to meet a crisis,” she said.

The function was held under the theme ‘20 Years of Celebrating Giving: Thank You, Blood Donors’.

The NBTS is an agency under the Ministry of Health and Wellness and is responsible for the safe collection and storage of blood for transfusion purposes.

- JIS News

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