Pacific Star employees give blood on Blood Donor Day

STAFF of the Pacific Star Ltd, publisher of The National, joined in the celebration of the World Blood Donor Day under the theme “safe blood for all” on Friday.
Port Moresby General Hospital Sir Brian Bell Centre for transfusion medicine team collected 33 bags of blood donated by staff.
The corporate mobile blood drive team leader Lawrence Oki said there was a constant need for blood at the hospital but not a lot of people visited the blood bank to donate blood.
He said going out to visit organisations when invited was a good way of getting many people to donate.
Oki said it was also a way of creating awareness on healthy practices and the importance of donating blood.
He said all donated blood would be tested for diseases that were transmitted to ensure safety.
Oki said a blood bag can save three lives because when the blood is taken to the lab, it is separated into the various components such as platelets, plasma and whole blood.
He said based on the patient’s condition the different components could be required individually or in combination.
Oki said 23 staff that had registered to donate blood could not because their haemoglobin level was low.
“Those whose blood levels were low and were not eligible to donate blood were encouraged and given tips on how to live healthy.
“Eating food like greens, chicken liver, red meat and fresh fish, all of which have iron will keep you healthy.”
Oki said it takes less than an hour to donate blood.
He urged everyone to donate blood and not only when a relative is sick and needs blood.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), anyone between the ages of 16 and 60 who are in good health, have a minimum weight of 50kg for males and 45kg for females and have a good blood pressure (systolic bp 100-140 mmHg and diastolic BP 60-90 mmHg) and pulse (60-100/minute), could donate blood.