The Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH), the Pan American Organization (PAHO) and Friends of the Blood Bank (FOBB) teaming up with major local sponsors from ALIV, Commonwealth Brewery, with volunteers from Kiwanis and the Bahamas Red Cross to stage the first National Blood Drive for 2021.
The event which was held at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium on Wednesday June 16th aimed to collect one hundred (100) pints of blood during the period 8am to 5pm. At the end of the day, the drive fell short of the goal, but organizers said they were encouraged by the turnout especially during this time.
The PMH Blood Bank’s supply has been impacted by the ongoing pandemic as it has resulted in fewer persons wishing to access the hospital compound to donate blood, businesses being unable or unwilling to host off-site blood donation drives and limited the travel of Blood Bank staff to Family Islands to participate in blood donation drives. Among those making donations at the National Blood Drive was Pan American Health Organization Country Representative Dr. Eldonna Boisson. The blood drive at the National
Stadium follows World Blood Donor Day observed on June 14th when regular voluntary blood donors here in The Bahamas were honoured in a virtual recognition ceremony hosted on the online platform Zoom. Among those paying tribute to blood donors were Minister of Health, the Hon. Renward Wells and PHA Managing Director, Catherine E. Weech. Blood donation saves lives with a single unit of blood able to save up to three patients in need of blood or blood products.
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