PMGH blood donations sought

BLOOD bank acting unit nurse manager Juliet Ohuesaho says the demand for blood at the Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) is high.
“As soon as blood is collected, it goes to a patient who needs it,” she said.
“If you can donate, please do so because your blood will save lives.”
Ohuesaho said this when the Sir Brian Bell Centre for Transfusion Medicine (Blood Bank) at PMGH conducted an awareness session on the importance of blood donation to St John Ambulance (SJA) staff, last Tuesday in Port Moresby.
She said that before donating blood, people should eat iron-rich food which were red meat, fish, green leafy vegetables, cereals and garden food and get at least six to eight hours of rest.
She added that they should also drink extra fluid such as water or non-alcoholic fluids, eat a healthy balanced meal and avoid fatty food.
The information session was to prepare staff for a major St John blood drive this week.
Regular blood donors among the St John staff shared their experiences of donating blood and had encouraged colleagues to start donating as well.
St John clinical educator Idana Enai said the team will set up at the office, with staff and their families encouraged to donate blood.