SBSA helps replenish blood bank |12 August 2021
The blood donation activity in full swing (Photo: Thomas Meriton)
The Blood Transfusion Unit of the Seychelles Hospital is calling on anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who meet the criteria to donate blood, to come forward now that there is a lack of blood in its bank, especially blood types group O and group B, which are not available.
It was the unit’s senior programme officer, Elizabeth Banda, who made the plea during a blood drive organised at the hospital yesterday morning by the Seychelles Business Studies Academy (SBSA).
Initiated by the school’s student council, the blood drive saw the participation of over twenty people comprising staff and mostly students.
The blood drive follows a request by the council for a sensitisation talk on the subject, held at the school on August 3, 2021, where nurse Banda mobilised the students by helping them with clarifications to rid them of their fears of donating blood.
“The situation is not very good, and actually it is becoming bad because right now we have a crisis – we do not have blood group O nor group B. So with the team in here we hope to get something,” nurse Banda said, noting that even the available stock of the other types of blood groups will not last for long.
Speaking about the blood drive organised by the SBSA, the head of programme, accounting and finance, Seydou Sylla, said that it all started in 2017 following a successful blood donation by the school to save the life of the mother of a student who had been hospitalised and was in need of blood.
“From there we said why not continue with the activity every year and since 2019 we have included the blood drive into the school’s calendar of activities,” Mr Sylla said.
He added he was proud that the school’s student council had taken the initiative to adopt the blood drive and to motivate students to give blood.
He explained that although SBSA organises the blood drive twice a year, it was not possible to do so in 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions and for this year another blood drive will be organised in November or December, if no matters arise.
At yesterday’s activity, most of the students were giving blood for the first time. Although it was hard for them to pronounce if they will become regular blood donors, the majority said that they will give blood occasionally when there is a request.
After donating her pint of blood, Keisha Vidot, the school’s blood group council mobilisation leader and first-time donor, said that she was very proud of herself, and her other colleagues for making the generous gesture.
She added that the talk by the hospital has really inspired more students to come forward to give blood.
“The donation today is to help the hospital get more blood because it said it was in dire need. So we said ok, we’re going to help out because tomorrow it could be us, it could be our families or people we love and here there are people who are dying and who really need it, so why not help out,” she said.
Phillipa Servina, a third-year student, said that giving blood is one of the most charitable gestures that one can give to save a life.
“This is the second time that I come to give blood and I will continue to come every year to help replenish the stock in the blood bank to save lives,” she said.
Keanu Hoareau, a seventeen-year-old and first-year student, said he was happy to be helping the society and hopes that his blood helps save the life of a person. As he was underaged, he said he was happy to have got his parents’ consent for him to take part in the blood drive.
Explaining further, nurse Banda said that the minimum age to give blood is 17 but they have to get the consent of their parents or guardians.
She added that anyone from 18 to 65 years old can come in to give blood.
She is urging governmental and private organisations and post secondary schools to come forward and help with the blood drive to replenish the blood bank.
“So we are actually urging the community for all eligible donors to please come forward and we can work together to boost our blood bank,” nurse Banda said.
Nurse Banda noted that apart from SBSA, the National Institute of Health and Social Studies (NIHSS) is also a regular blood drive partner.
She called on other post secondary schools to follow the example of SBSA and NIHSS to support the hospital.
She stated that the blood bank has diminished not because of Covid-19 patients but rather through assisting normal patients with anemia, leukemia, premature babies and those with major surgeries, among others. She added that Covid-19 has only prevented regular blood donors to replenish the blood bank.
Patrick Joubert
