Students and Teachers at Dinthill Give 72 Pints of Blood

Students and teachers at Dinthill Technical High School in St. Catherine recently donated 72 pints of blood to the National Blood Transfusion Service (Blood Bank), during a blood collection drive at the school.
Blood Donor Organiser, Carol Williams told JIS News that the intake from blood donors was “not sufficient to meet the demand of Jamaicans in hospitals”, and this had forced the blood bank to embark on a blood collection drive islandwide.
“Last year we were not as successful as we would have wished in collecting blood from mobiles, because we would like to see at least 60 to 70 pints being taken in from a mobile,” she said, adding that the blood bank organizes at least three to four mobile collections per month.
In an effort to improve its blood collection, Miss Williams said the blood bank has been collaborating with service clubs and other community based organisations to assist them in mobilizing community members in their districts. “I’m so happy to see today that it has worked so well,” she said.
Miss Williams said that schools were being targeted to be part of the programme and those wishing to participate could contact the blood bank.
“We always contact the headmaster or headmistress of the host school and then the nurse. We liaise personally with her, after we have received the go ahead from the headmaster or headmistress,” she said.Jacqueline Harris, Nurse at the Dinthill Technical High School said that she was happy with the response from the students.
“I’m very happy, because as a result, these students are going to tell their friends of their experiences,” she said. She pointed out that at first, some students were hesitant about giving blood, but many consented after the myths associated with giving blood were dispelled.Nurse Harris said that the medical history of students were checked and consent letters were signed by their parents before they were allowed to make donations.
In March 2003, the blood bank launched its new Voluntary Blood Donor programme to increase blood supplies.