SARASWATI Vidya Niketan, a secondary school and the non-governmental organisation (NGO), Sewa Guyana, in collaboration with the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) have, once again, secured the highest collection in a single local voluntary drive.

Swami Aksharananda (at left) and NBTS Coordinator, Ms. Shameeza Mangal with one of the donors, Thaijchand Singh.

In the second such one-day exercise countrywide, 214 units of blood were garnered on Sunday last in the compound of Cornelia Ida Temple, West Coast Demerara, surpassing the 176 units it secured last year.

The achievement is a major boost to the joint efforts of the Ministry of Health and NBTS in their continuing thrust to educate and motivate people to become volunteer donors.

Saraswati Principal, Swami Aksharananda said: “It has gone excellently well. This year we had a target of 201 and we have actually surpassed that.

“Mainly, the students of the school were the ones who did most of the work. Each student was asked to find one volunteer for us.

“This is very important and what I think we have been able to let people know is that it is a major contribution that you are making to the health system.”

He said: “We know that we are perpetually short of blood at the Blood Bank and this drive would certainly be very good for our situation here in Guyana.”

Aksharananda also acknowledged that it was not only because of the school’s efforts but the tremendous support of Sewa Guyana.

NBTS Coordinator, Ms. Shameeza Mangal, said the greatest benefit is that each donor can save up to three lives with just one donation.

She also explained that giving allows individuals to know their blood count level, pressure, group, weight and pulse, as well as creates the opportunity to produce new cells, receive a certificate of donation when volunteering and using the document in an emergency.

Mangal said, this year, the swami had a lot of volunteers and collaborators in the community participation where the schoolchildren actually did the mobilisation with their parents.

Appealing for more givers, she said the Ministry of Health and NBTS are working towards achieving 100 per cent regular volunteerism next year.

But that can only become achievable through organisations and collaborators and people wanting to be part of the ‘Good Samaritan’ programme.

Mangal said, so far, it is about 65 per cent achieved but there is still a far way to go.

She appealed to organisations to invite the Ministry to sensitisation sessions at their institutions and introduce the new culture because NBTS really needs to move towards the 100 per cent mark.

“Don’t wait for a crisis moment when a loved one for you is in the hospital and needs blood,” Mangal exhorted, noting that its shelf life is 35 days.

She said volunteers are always welcome at all six sites nationwide, including NBTS headquarters in Georgetown; at New Amsterdam, Berbice; Suddie, Essequibo Coast; Linden, Upper Demerara River and West Demerara Regional Hospital.

The blood bank in the city is open every day in the year, from 08:00 hrs to 18:00 hrs and, to facilitate the big exercise on Sunday last, Mangal assembled a team of some 40 persons.

It was the first time that she recruited volunteers to help offset the actual screening of donors and, thanks to the swami and his entire group, it was possible to render that level of service and commitment in the Good Samaritan programme,” she acknowledged.