The Sukuta Blood Donors Association Saturday celebrated their 2nd
anniversary after 24 months of successful blood donation.
The association was formed to help reduce death at birth, pregnant women and children, as well as children suffering from anaemia, and to combat HIV/AIDS and malaria.
The association, which has been in existence since April 2011, was said to have been engaged in numerous activities relating to blood donation on voluntary basis, recruiting members, and sensitization.
The anniversary, held at the Sukuta Market, brought together 30 members of the association who voluntarily donated blood to help in saving lives, which was also emulated by other volunteers from the communities.
Speaking to The Point, the association’s public relations officer Cherno Cham said the association had donated over 300 piles of blood to the needy since its inception on 12 April 2011.
The donation was done on a three-month basis as required by the principles of the blood donors, Mr Cham said, adding that they had been donating on emergency basis to various clinics and hospitals such as EFSTH, Serrekunda General Hospital, Sukuta Health Centre blood bank and Brikama Health Centre.
He said those qualified to donate blood are between the ages of 16 to 65 years and that the association conducts HB check-up, and counselling.
The blood is being screened before donating, he said, adding that their aim is to have 100 blood piles this year.
He revealed some of the constraints the association faces, such as the difficulty to have sufficient transport for their volunteers when conducting donation services to the needy.
“If we are called to donate on emergency basis, we don’t want to bore the patient or the patient’s family responsible for our transportation,” he added.
He said as members they contribute D25 as fee, as well as inject D10 on monthly basis to the association, which is meant for transporting their volunteers during the donation exercise.
PRO Cherno Cham thanked Madam Fatim Badgie, who he said had been instrumental to the association.
He as well thanked Universal Properties and PURA for their assistance to the association.
He urged other institutions and communities to emulate the generous actions of the association to save lives, which he said would contribute to minimizing the rate of death at birth.
