– says Health Minister

WITH the National Blood Bank recording a 25% decline in blood donations during 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony had made it clear that it is “quite safe” to donate blood during this period. Minister Anthony made this disclosure on Monday during the ministry’s daily COVID-19 update, where he appealed to the general public to donate so that the blood bank can meet its target. Each year, the National Blood Bank collects 12,000 – 13,000 units of blood to be used for patients in need of surgery, cancer treatment, and transfusions for blood loss from traumatic injuries. Minister Anthony noted that the decline stemmed from the pandemic which prevented the holding of some of the annual blood drives which allowed for a steady flow of volunteers and the achievement of the target. He further noted that persons were also unsure of any additional requirements that may have been instituted in wake of the pandemic. He explained that the ministry and the blood bank have instituted several systems to ensure the safety of both the donors and the health professionals who are conducting the blood donation exercise. “Every year we try to collect maybe 12,000 – 13,000 units of blood. Last year, we would have seen a decline in the amount of blood that we collected, a 25% or so decline, and that would have interrupted some of the services that we usually offered. This year, we are quite on track to collect enough blood and hopefully with people coming out and responding and giving blood, we will be able to have adequate supply in our blood bank,” said Minister Anthony.

He said one of the major undertakings by the blood bank that allowed it to maintain its blood donations, was the walk-in service that is offered to the regular blood donors. He noted that the blood bank intends to have its donor list expanded during 2021. “It is quite safe and we want to appeal to persons to come out and donate blood. One of the things that we really need is blood…Persons who require surgery, emergency surgery, often times require blood and if it’s not in adequate supplies then we can lose that person, so we want to appeal to persons to come out and donate blood,” he stated. Meanwhile, the minister took note of the concerns regarding blood donations and the COVID-19 virus. He stated that there is no real threat to persons donating blood even if they had contracted the virus. He reminded that COVID-19 is not a blood-borne virus and explained that while the blood bank will not collect blood from an active COVID-19 case, no restriction would be placed on persons who volunteer to donate blood after they would have recovered. “COVID-19 is not a blood-borne disease, so the only way you have transmission occurring or the most popular way you have transmission occurring is through droplets or aerosols…..But getting COVID from the blood, that is highly unlikely so in that way, people don’t have to be fearful of that because when you come to donate blood, we take all the infection protocols to make sure people are safe. So, if you come to any one of our donation sites, we will be observing all the protocols for COVID-19 which means that you will not be able to get COVID nor anyone in the unit would contract COVID,” Minister Anthony said.