The Ministry of Health and Medical Services will be conducting an in‑house blood drive today as part of the blood drive campaign to increase the stock at the blood bank.
Leading by example as a frequent blood donor, the Minister for Health, Dr. Ifereimi Waqainabete will donate the first pint of blood which will be followed by the Permanent Secretary, Bernadette Welch and staff of the Ministry.
The Ministry says the objective of this blood drive is to focus attention on year‑round blood donation through community participation in maintaining adequate supplies and achieving national self‑sufficiency of safe and sustainable blood supplies.
The National Manager Blood and Ambulance Services, Josefa Bolaqace says that the aim is to reach the 100% self sufficiency of blood supply by 2020.
The mobile blood bank will be deployed across Suva city in the coming months and the Health Ministry is appealing to the general public to become blood donors to enable the availability of adequate supplies at health facilities.