NGO-hosted blood drive bolsters NBTS blood supply

May 25, 2010 News

It may have been the largest blood drive to have been held in a single day at a single venue in Guyana and perhaps even the Caribbean, securing an estimated 300 units of blood. Through collaboration between SEVA Guyana, a faith-based organisation affiliated with the Saraswati Vidya Niketan Hindu Secondary School at Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara, the blood supply at the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) has been considerably augmented.
The blood drive which was held at the Hindu School attracted voluntary donors from as far as Hubu, East Bank Essequibo, to Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara. And those that contributed to the venture were certainly not drawn from a single race, religion or creed.
Up to yesterday efforts were being made to verify the total amount of units that were procured, according to NBTS Blood Donor Co-ordinator, Shameeza Mangal who expressed optimism that the amount would have well surpassed the anticipated target of 300 units.
And the drive, according to Mangal, comes as a great support to the blood bank, which sometimes in an entire week or even over a half month period 300 units is not acquired. “Here we are on a one day donor recruitment drive and we are expecting to get a great deal of support.”
According to Mangal, in any country there is always the need for blood donors everyday as in the various hospitals that conduct transfusions there is the need for different blood products. She noted that as the blood banks issue safe blood on a daily basis there is the constant need for blood to be replenished.
“We have to replenish our stock and every day we need about 45 donors; we don’t get walk-in donors everyday so we have to tap into organised blood drives.”
This is the fourth year that the SEVA Organisation and the Hindu school have collaborated to answer the call of the NBTS for the voluntary donation of blood.
Representing the Hindu School, Delsha Hamid, noted that while the school will not benefit directly from the blood drive it is yet very delighted to be a part of such an undertaking.
“We have made this a part of our school’s culture…Giving is the main aim of this drive not receiving by doing it we experience the feeling of contentment.” In fact, she speculated that the best present that a person could give is by giving and not knowing who will benefit from their generous gesture.
According to President of SEVA Guyana, Vijoy Chand, the Non-Governmental Organisation has been in existence for over eight years and has over the past few years been able to solicit tremendous assistance from members of the public.
“Every year it is getting bigger. It is actually the biggest one day event of this kind that we know of,” Chand noted.
He said that the blood drive is usually undertaken in May in commemoration of the arrival of East Indians to Guyana. In 2008, he revealed that some 176 units of blood were donated while a total of 214 units was secured last year.