WESTERN medicine has had many achievements to its credit. One of the most important of such achievements is the system of blood transfusions and its ancillaries such as method of receiving the blood, grouping and storing it. From the time William Harvey discovered the circulatory system of the body in 1628, doctors have been experimenting with improvements in the system of blood transfusion. It was only at the time of World War II that blood transfusion, as we know it, became a common medical procedure.

Before the blood transfusion procedure came into common use, thousands of people died from loss of blood in surgical operations, in childbirth, from war wounds, accidents, anaemia and other conditions where there is loss or need for blood.

By the middle of the last century, blood transfusion units were established in all the major hospitals, health care institutions and even on ambulances. Blood banks were established to collect, differentiate the blood types and store it. The blood banks ensure that the blood they are collecting is safe from infections; they would then place the blood in different groups since it is only blood of a patient’s type that could be transfused to that patient, and they store the blood using different methods. Each year, hundreds of thousands of lives are saved by blood transfusions and the number of patients needing blood transfusions has been increasing faster than the supply of blood available.

In Guyana, though citizens are well-acquainted with the value of the blood transfusion procedure and are prepared to use it, the culture of blood donation has not, so far, been fully absorbed by the population. Almost all the blood held by the blood bank is acquired from voluntary donations. Accordingly, it is necessary that the number of donors must keep increasing if lives are to be saved.

A number of groundless myths surrounding blood donation has been the main factor which has inhibited more donors from coming forward. Among the most pervasive of these myths are the following: That if one donates a pint of blood, one would be forever with that blood deficit. This myth is completely groundless, since the body regenerates new blood in eight weeks and the new blood is healthier than the old blood donated. Blood donation, therefore, never results in a net loss of blood.

Another myth is that blood donation weakens the body. This is not possible, since before blood is received from a donor, that donor is ascertained to be strong and able to donate. Many sportsmen and women whose bodies have to be fitter and stronger than most people, have been blood donors. Another myth or fear is that the blood bank may be receiving blood from persons with infectious diseases which negates the raison d’etre of the blood transfusion procedure. This fear is entirely groundless since before a donation is accepted, the donor has to go through a number of tests and answer searching questions about his or her health. Also a special AIDS test is carried out. The blood received by the blood bank is therefore very healthy and life-giving.

The absurdity of these and other myths could be exposed by education. At the Teachers Training College and at the primary and secondary schools, full information on the donation, storage and transfusion of blood should be part of the curriculum. The electronic media as well as the print media in their health columns could carry regular information on blood donation and transfusion. Questions from the public on blood donation and transfusion should be encouraged and answered.

Several institutions and schools have become regular donors to the blood bank. One of the earliest of such schools is the Saraswati Vidya Niketan (SVN) headed by Swami Aksharanand at Cornelia Ida. SVN pupils mobilise their relatives, friends and community to participate and at speech day, the most successful pupil is mentioned and presented with a trophy. They donate twice per year to the blood bank and in one year, they had donated one-tenth of the blood bank’s holdings. The Saraswati Vidya Niketan school’s method could be adopted as a national model.

The National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) or the blood bank has recently acquired an apheresis machine. This machine is an advancement in the blood transfusion service and doctors will be able to easier treat and with greater speed patients requiring blood. The machine separates the blood into its components–the red cells, the plasma and the platelets–and these could be transfused to meet a patient’s particular need. A blood donation may thus be able to save several lives.

The legislation affecting blood transfusion and the various ancillary activities connected with it such as blood donation and storage need to be modernised and updated and the current British and American legislation could be used as models. Having early comprehensive legislation in respect of blood transfusion would be a notable achievement for the Ministry of Public Health. Give blood and save lives!