‘It is a civic duty to donate blood and when we can donate blood we have to respond to the call’, said the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, this morning, at the Sir Harilal Vaghjee Memorial Hall, in Port-Louis.
The Prime Minister was participating at a blood donation activity organised by the Prime Minister’s Office (Defence and Home Affairs Division) in collaboration with the Government House Police, the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the National Blood Donor Coordinator with a view to address the shortage of blood in the Blood Bank.
Following the blood donation activity, the Prime Minister proceeded with the inauguration of a health caravan, funded to the tune of some Rs 12 million, and which will be used to provide a more efficient service in the blood donation initiative across Mauritius.
The Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Kumar Singh Jagutpal, the Minister of Arts and Cultural Heritage, Mr Avinash Teeluck, the Chief Government Whip, Ms Naveena Ramyad, the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Om Kumar Dabidin, and other personalities were present during the events.
In his statement, Prime Minister Jugnauth recalled that there are several patients who require blood in public/private hospitals for their survival and since blood is required regularly it is important to respond to this call and donate blood. Blood, he indicated, cannot be kept over a long period of time and blood platelets cannot be stored for more than five days and hospitals constantly need blood, thus, all the more reason for people to become conscious especially when individuals are in good health and can donate blood. He seized the occasion to invite Mauritians, those who can, to come forward and donate their blood as this will save lives.
As regards the newly inaugurated health caravan, Mr Jugnauth emphasised that the health sector is being further equipped and is renewing its fleet of caravans. Moreover, given that a caravan is mobile, this will facilitate the collect of blood and the caravan will go in different regions of the country and reach out to people, he pointed out.
The Prime Minister observed that two new caravans have recently been bought and Government is investing money where it is necessary. At present, the Ministry of Health and Wellness is already using three caravans and the two new ones will add to the fleet. These caravans will also serve for other purposes such as inoculating people or extend health services that would require the Health Ministry to go towards the public, he stated. Public/private health institutions require around 160 pints of blood daily and it is crucial that they can procure the necessary amount of blood, he added.
As for the National Blood Donor Coordinator, Mr Ramduth Teeluckdharry, he highlighted that the Blood Bank belongs to the State and it is the responsibility of the State to acquire safe blood for the population. The Blood Bank organises blood donations every day and caravans go to public locations to educate, sensitise and motivate citizens on blood donation as well as recruit blood donors, he underscored.
The National Blood Transfusion Service also known as Blood Bank supplies hospitals and clinics with blood and blood products 365 days a year.
The present Blood Donation activity has as objective to help the Blood Bank maintain an adequate stock level of blood and to collect more than 100 pints. Over 3000 pints of blood are needed for transfusions every month in Mauritius. Everyday 125 to 160 pints of blood are needed to treat patients in hospitals and clinics.
Healthy people, aged between 18 and 65 years, can donate blood. Blood is composed of 60% of liquid and 40% of solid. The Liquid part is called plasma and contains 90% of water and 10% of nutrients, hormones etc. If the amount of plasma part decreases in body, it can be easily recovered from food and medicines. But the solid part which contains RBC (Red Blood Cells) and WBC (White Blood Cells), once lost cannot be recovered easily. If RBC and WBC are lost in one’s body than it could result in loss of life.
