The Ministry of Health is ramping up efforts to boost the national blood supply with the launch of a National Blood Donation Drive on Saturday.
Speaking at the launch of a National Blood Donation Drive, Health Minister Dr. Lackram Bodoe said Trinidad and Tobago does not currently have enough blood on hand to comfortably meet national health recommendations.
“There is a significant gap, the ideal amount of blood that should be donated based on international requirements for our population should be in the region of about 40,000 units per year. Currently we are doing about 19,000 to 20,000 units. Following Covid there has been a little cut down in terms of the numbers. But I believe we would have reached to about 23,000 to 24,000 previously.”
Minister in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Rishad Seecharan, noted that even one unit of blood can have a significant impact.
“Every unit of blood has the potential to save 3 lives through the separation of the red blood cells, the plasma and the platelets. So one simple donation of one unit of blood can therefore impact an entire family.”
Cricketer, Nicholas Pooran was also on hand to lend his support to the initiative.
“Too many times we wait ’til its too late and when our family members or someone whose close to us needs blood then to understand how important it is then to find blood from somewhere.”
Medical Director of the National Blood Transfusion Service, Dr. Shivir Moosai, indicated that the initiative is already expanding into rural areas.
“Mayaro will be having its first blood drive in August. First blood drive in Mayaro, Moruga, in the South of Trinidad hosted their first blood drive a month or two ago as well. And we are trying to get a lot of blood drives into the rural more difficult to access areas.”
Dr. Moosai also noted that men can donate blood up to four times per year, while women can donate up to three times annually.