…during blood drive organised by Rotary Club of Georgetown & Pres. Ali
THE Rotary Club of Georgetown, in collaboration with the President of Guyana, Dr. Irfaan Ali, hosted a Blood Drive at State House on Saturday which garnered 201 units of blood.
Forty-six members of the Guyana Defence Force and the Guyana Police Force, including presidential guards and police in training, donated blood.
Devendra Kissoon, President of the Rotary Club of Georgetown, told the Sunday Chronicle that the club does community-based needs assessments and, in response to those assessments, it brings professionals together with the hope of having those needs satisfied.
One of the urgent needs that they recognised in Georgetown was blood for the blood bank.
“We understood from the blood bank that one unit of blood can save a minimum of three lives and separate and apart from that, the blood bank expressed that, on the best day during the week, they typically get about 10 units of blood,” he explained.
Kissoon related that the club, in collaboration with President Ali, organised the event as part of efforts to improve the availability of resources at the blood bank and to raise awareness throughout Georgetown that blood is something that is needed.
“So far, just three hours into today’s event we have accumulated more than 40 units of blood, which, if you do the math, a minimum of 120 lives can impacted positively and we’re very grateful to the President for his support,” he said.
Kissoon added: “The main goal will be to raise awareness to let every citizen of Guyana know that every person from every walk of life and every busy person ought to take a few minutes out of their activities to help.
“We are very hopeful that everyone could see what we’re all doing here today, and would be inspired to help the neighbour by giving blood. If not being able to give blood, to do anything that you can do to improve the life of your neighbour.”
According to Kissoon, the club has several initiatives in store, some of which are focused on mental health awareness.
“We plan to visit and assist various convalescent homes, the aging population, to spend time with them to make sure that depression and feelings of loneliness are addressed…..we’re also rebuilding community, persons’ homes,” he explained.
He noted that they are also doing several water projects throughout Guyana for the purpose of providing potable water to various communities.
Mexican Ambassador to Guyana, Mauricio Vizcaino Crespo, a donor, related that he thinks donating blood is a great way to help each other.
“That is what motivated me. I’m not from Guyana and even though I’m far away from my country, I think that the gesture of donating blood when you’re healthy, when you’re able to do it, it’s really important to motivate others to help in any way they can,” Crespo stated.
He said that it is important to keep motivating persons to donate blood, given the lack of units at the blood bank.
“I think it’s a great way to contribute to the community and it’s very great that the Rotary Club is here working towards that objective,” he related.
