-Reference Lab Director
THE local public health system needs 12,000 units of blood yearly, and to achieve this quantity, the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) depends on walk-in donations, call backs and blood drives. Director, National Public Health Reference Lab with responsibility for the NBTS, Dr. Colin Roach said focus, this year, will be on strengthening corporate relationships so as to improve the number of blood donations.
There are over 80 religious, academic, private and public sector organisations who participate in regular blood donations.
He noted that the NBTS will be forging additional relations with persons in the rural areas, particularly in Linden, Region 10 and Essequibo, Region 2.
Most of the donations are obtained via walk-ins, call backs and blood drives and while these set the base for blood collection, there is need for more advocacy which is expected to result in additional persons donating blood.
In 2011, the NBTS was mandated to recruit more voluntary unpaid blood donors. It has been reported that 79 percent of the blood donations is by voluntary donors, and this is significant since such level has not been achieved in any other CARICOM country except Suriname.
It is hoped that 90 percent of all blood in Guyana would come from voluntary donors, but for that goal to be accomplished there is need for 1.5 to 2 percent of the adult population becoming donors and donating at least two units of blood per year.
The acquisition of new blood donors is important since there is a need for 10,000 regular blood donors to ensure the availability of 12,000 units of blood every year. As such, it is critical for Guyana to reach this goal as soon as possible due to increasing health services which require blood.
The execution of blood drives forms the base for the majority of blood donated to the Blood Bank, allowing the institution to have a sufficient stock of blood to supply both the public and private hospitals. 
Over the last five years, the number of donors has increased by 100 percent. Persons in the 25-45 years age group are the main blood donors while it has been observed that the 17-25 years old group is increasing the fastest.
Persons 65 years and older, who were not previously allowed to give blood, can also do so particularly if that person is a regular donor. For first timers, approval has to be given by the individual’s doctor.