A major blood drive got underway, with The Turks and Caicos Islands’ (TCI) government teaming up with its largest private employer to save lives locally by boosting blood donations.
Together with the TCI National Blood Bank and Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort and Spa, TCIG mounted the blood drive, under the theme ‘Save a life – Give Blood, being held at the resort in Providenciales.
“We hope to highlight the importance of blood donation and its impact on saving lives,” stated Blood Bank Chief Lab Technician, Peggy Samuels.
“Beaches is the largest private employer in the TCI and our hope is that this private public partnership event will help to increase voluntary blood donations from our community, and also increasing awareness of the issues.
“It is a key goal of the World Health Organization is to promote and encourage all countries to achieve 100% voluntary blood donations by 2020, according to the Melbourne Declaration, and TCI will continue to do its part to help meet this goal,” Ms. Samuels added.
As from June 2014, the National Blood Bank has established a monthly blood donor drive, which according to Ms. Samuels has already been successful in raising awareness of the need for blood donations and increasing its database of voluntary blood donors.
Residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands are encouraged to become voluntary blood donors by calling the Blood Bank at Tel: 649-941 2800 Ext. 72106 or 649-338 5132. Become a blood donor today.
