MHMC Thanks Public and Media for Making the Emergency Blood Donation Drive a Success
By MHMC
Fifty individuals came to the Mobile Blood Bank on Sunday, 29th January 2023 in response to the urgent call for emergency blood donations. Millennium Heights Medical Complex (MHMC), the managing entity of Ezra Long Laboratory and the Mobile Blood Bank, is especially thankful to the public in general, and the local media who helped share the message, and all the individuals who came and tried to donate. The emergency blood donation drive was successful.
Deputy Director of Clinical Services, Dr. Nicole Hunter-Cole, said, “We want to thank everyone who came out. We were able to treat all our patients who urgently needed blood. This was a true expression of community participation in support of the delivery medical care.
We want to thank the media for responding so quickly to this call and for being a key stakeholder for disseminating the request for blood donation on traditional and social media. Special thanks must be accorded to our resourceful clinical team and the off-duty staff who came in at such short notice.”
Although 50 individuals responded to the call for blood donation but only 20 were able to donate. The Mobile Blood Bank was able to temporarily improve the stock of O negative blood, the rarest blood type in Saint Lucia, which only 5% of the population possesses.
CEO, Dr. Dexter James, joins in commending the public, media and hardworking staff in this “spirited effort”. He also calls for a redress from accidents and violence as the burden on hospital limited resources is tremendous. Blood stock at the Ezra Long Laboratory was critically low following a recent upsurge in vehicular accidents and violence which pose a severe burden to the medical institution.
Hospital administration will continue its blood donation drive to maintain an adequate supply of blood is available. Dr. Hunter-Cole said that blood banking is a national effort. “Eligible donors are encouraged to continue donating blood every four months for females and every three months for males, to prevent emergency situations like these from reoccurring. This is one of the ways we can help address the shortage in supply so that lifesaving blood products can be readily available when needed,” Dr. Hunter-Cole added.
The Mobile Blood Bank available on its regular schedule: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays • William Peter Boulevard • 8:30AM to 3:30PM Tuesdays, Thursdays • OKEUH • 9:00AM to 3:30PM
