World Blood Donor Day 2017 will be celebrated on Wednesday June 14th. Every year on this day the Turks and Caicos Islands joins the rest of the world in highlighting the importance of this venture.
The National Public Health Laboratory/National Blood Bank in the Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services, governs such activities and will be operating this year under the theme: “What can you do? with the secondary message: Give blood. Give now. Give often.
This year’s campaign will focus on blood donation in emergencies. In crisis or emergency situations-, the natural human response is “What can I do? How can I help? Therefore we aim to encourage more persons in the Turks and Caicos Islands to donate blood voluntarily and regularly, using the slogan “Give blood, Give now, Give often” The campaign underlines the role every single person can play in helping others in emergency situations, by giving the valuable gift of blood. It also focuses on the fact that it is important to give blood regularly, so that the blood stock is sufficient before an emergency arises.
The objectives of this year’s campaign include:
- to encourage all people to strengthen the emergency preparedness of health services in their community by donating blood;
- to engage authorities in the establishment of effective national blood donor programs with the capacity to respond promptly to the increase in blood demand during emergencies;
- to promote the inclusion of blood transfusion services in national emergency preparedness and response activities;
- to build wider public awareness of the need for committed, year-round blood donation, in order to maintain adequate supplies and achieve a national self-sufficiency of blood;
- To celebrate and thank individuals who donate blood regularly and to encourage young people to become new donors as well;
- To promote international collaboration and to ensure worldwide dissemination of and consensus on the principles of voluntary non-remunerated donation, while increasing blood safety and availability.
The Minister of Health, Agriculture and Human Services the Hon. Edwin Astwood states that “Despite medical and technological advances, since Landsteener discovered the ABO Blood Group system in 1901, blood cannot currently be made, and the only way of getting hold of it is via blood donations from people who give blood”. Hon. Astwood further stated “We don't just need to give blood in the event of tragedies or emergencies. Instead, it should be a normal and routine part of our lives. Regular blood donations mean that there will be sufficient amounts of safe blood in stock. Remember that men can give blood up to four times a year - women up to three times -providing there are at least two months between donations, the need for blood is constant and so is the need for donations”.
Our activities for this year will include the following events:
Monday June 10th 2017 – Health Matters interview, Topic “Facts about blood donation”
Wednesday June 14th, 2017 – Display and brochures on blood donation, blood typing and donor recruitment, blood drive - Cheshire Hall Medical Complex
Thursday June 15th, 2017 – Blood donor recruitment drive at the Men’s Health Conference HJ Robinson High School Auditorium, Grand Turk
Friay June 16th, 2017- Blood donor recruitment drive at the Men’s Health Conference Tropicana auditorium, The Bight, Providenciales
For further information please call: 649-331-7513