Hospiten lodges blood into Cornwall Regional's bank
Published:Monday | June 12, 2017 | 12:00 AMJanet Silvera
WESTERN BUREAU:
Staying true to public-private sector partnership thrust, Hospiten Montego Bay will help to boost the Blood Bank at the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH) today.
The private hospital joins the rest of the world in observing World Blood Donor Day on June 14.
"We will be opening up our state-of-the-art facility to assist the Cornwall Regional, which, like other hospitals, is always in need of blood," explained Hospiten's Country Manager Samuel Afonso.
The move is in sync with the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation theme of 'Give blood, Give now, Give often.'
The effort is in collaboration with Jamaica's National Blood Transfusion Service.
"Hospiten wants to see the same thing happening worldwide replicated in Jamaica. We feel it is our corporate social responsibility to assist the hospital, which is under so much pressure during a time when blood is scarce and so precious," said Afonso.
This is the second time since the start of the year that the private hospital has led a blood drive to assist CRH.
This latest effort complements urgings by Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton, who last week encouraged Jamaicans to observe the day by donating much-needed blood to designated and reputable health facilities across the island, adding that the country has been having its fair share of blood challenges and is still some distance away from achieving 100 per cent voluntary blood donation.
The minister also pointed out that Jamaicans have a strong tradition of being replacement donors, and are more likely to give blood when a relative or friend is in need.
"The Cornwall Regional has been experiencing its share of problems but it's really encouraging to see how the medical fraternity in the western region has pulled together in doing all it can to assist this important hospital, which is the largest in the region," Tufton explained.
World Blood Donor Day is observed every 14th of June worldwide and it encourages individuals to give blood and save lives without requesting anything in exchange. Bloodstream donor day serves to boost understanding of the requirement for safe bloodstream.
Transfusion of bloodstream and bloodstream items can save countless lives each year. It can benefit patients struggling with existence-threatening conditions to live longer with greater quality of existence, and supports complex medical and surgical treatments.