Hospital blood unit goes mobile

To help save lives and strengthen the capacity of the blood unit at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, the Pan-Caribbean Partnership against HIV/ AIDS (PANCAP) has donated a Mobile blood bank unit to the hospital.{{more}}

The ceremony, which took place last Friday, July 18, at the hospital, was witnessed by a large cross section of government officials.

Deputy Prime Minister Sir Louis Straker said that he was happy to receive the specialized equipment. Straker noted that it was comforting to be able to have a safe supply of blood from which we can draw in order to help us and our love ones.

“When we share blood, we are sharing life,” the Deputy Prime Minister said. Straker believes that by not sharing blood we will be denying life and help to our brothers and sisters who are in need. “It is an act of charity and support of our common humanity,” he said. He hoped that there would be an adequate supply of blood to meet any emergency that may affect us, and stressed the importance of proper screening of blood.

Staker emphasized the fact that his government is committed to providing the best medical services to the people of this country. This, he said, is being done by training nurses and technicians that can provide these services. “The government will leave no stone unturned to provide proper health care services for the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines,” he declared.

Straker said that he believes the Unit will help to save lives and meet the health needs of our people.

Carl Browne, Director of PANCAP, said the mobile unit, which cost approximately EC$500,000, was donated based on a request from the Ministry of the Health. Browne expressed the hope that the Unit would help to improve the capacity of the Laboratory to deliver services and the amount of blood donated here.

Meanwhile, Claudette Laidlow-Williams, Chief Laboratory Technologist, stated that the Unit would be a key asset when all the equipment is put in place. She said that 96 per cent of their donors are replacement donors, and last year, only 1,325 persons donated blood. Although they had a request for 5618 units of blood, after screening they were left with 1,078 units.

Williams believes the mobile blood bank is a step in the right direction and would help them reach out to major centres where people are on a daily basis. She hopes that the Unit would see a number of non-altruistic donors.

Gregory Ferrari, a voluntary blood donor for the past 42 years, gave brief remarks.

The mobile blood unit is comprised of an Auguring, donor beds, blood bank refrigerator and storage for liquid waste.(VM)