Antigua and Barbuda Red Cross assists in blood collection drive

The Antigua and Barbuda Red Cross (ABRC) has been listing blood donors for the hospitals in Antigua and Barbuda for more than 20 years. But in recent times the ABRC has been importing human blood from the American Red Cross to help meet the local demands. The cost of one unit of blood air freighted into Antigua is EC $1,000 which is paid by the patients to the American Red Cross.

Two years ago, the ABRC took on a more hands-on operation when it joined with the Pathology Department of the Holberton Hospital in Antigua and Lifeline – a non governmental organization to collect blood for the hospital blood bank.

The ABRC operation in this trio project is to transport and set-up the blood collection equipment and materials at selected places assist in screening blood donors, First Aid duties and transporting the blood to the hospital’s pathology department. This operation is done twice a month.

The participants in the project recognized World Blood Donor Day on June 14 with a week of activities to develop educational activities to stimulate and heighten the awareness of the need for providing a safe blood supply.

World Blood Donor Day activities in Antigua included a presentation of plaques of appreciation to constant blood donors and business places who promote blood drives, an address by the Minister of Health who also donated one unit of blood, radio and television programmes and public testing for blood groups.