NBTS Looks to Boost Blood Collection this Year

Fifteen volunteer donor managers were recently trained by the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS), as the organisation looks to boost blood collection to 38,000 units this year from 29,500 units in 2011.

In an interview with JIS News, Director at the NBTS, Angela Scott, said the service wants to ensure that it has adequate amounts of safe blood and blood components to meet the country’s needs.

Blood donation, she said, is needed for the urgent administration of care to victims of medical emergencies such as accidents and surgeries. Pregnant mothers and patients with leukemia, lymphoma, haemolytic disease and severe anaemia, among others, may also require blood transfusions. 

She stated that while the amount of blood collected by the NBTS each year has been increasing, “there is a wide gap between what is collected and the amount that should be collected”.  

She informed that based on a recent research, approximately 57,000 units are required each year to satisfy the demand for blood and this objective can only be achieved through continuous altruistic donations.

The donor managers, Mrs. Scott told JIS News, will assist the process, by “recruiting altruistic, non-remunerated donors, who are committed to giving their gift of love”.

She informed that they are equipped with information that will allow them to coordinate blood drives and other activities to promote blood donation with the assistance of staff from the NTBS.

Mrs. Scott is appealing to all Jamaicans to “vote for life” by donating their blood.

By Toni-Ann Russell, JIS PRO