BY LYNTON AARON FILIA
THE National Referral Hospital (NRH) is reportedly in urgent need of blood donations to meet the high demand for blood transfusion by patients.
NRH’s Medical Lab Manager, Mr Donald Tahani reports “Currently, to be honest blood stored in the lab did not cater to half the patient’s high demand here, and we need blood every day and night to handle patients.”
Tahani said low blood supply is a long standing issue the hospital has been facing, and the urgency is felt when emergency cases arise.
One challenge Tahani says they are facing is called the ‘wantok syndrome’ whereby people are only willing to donate blood for their relatives.
Tahani highlights that this does not solve the low blood supply issue.
He also adds other factors are less staffing, and this has imposed delay to implementation technical services needed to, and coordination with relevant organisations.
“We always seek support from government, but despite challenges encounter we work on what at hand. It was challenging but we trying to promote blood donation according to our strategy,” Tahani said.
He said NRH and Solomon Islands Red Cross are partners and they have worked directly with schools, companies and government ministries.
In the mean time, the NRH desperately needs more volunteers for blood donation.
