Maldives Blood Services (MBS) has revealed that a centralised blood centre will be opened to donate blood to children and hospitals in the Greater Male’ Region.
Speaking to PSM News, Associate Specialist in Pediatrics Dr. Ahmed Umar said that a pilot project to establish the centralised blood centre will begin this year and that the process of hiring employees and procuring equipment and resources has been completed. He said that an analysis has been conducted to determine the amount of blood needed by MBS and hospitals in Male’.
Additionally, Dr. Umar noted that blood is already being stored but that the centralised centre will allow them to double the units of blood stored. He said that the current issue is the lack of space and employees but that the establishment of the centre will allow blood to be donated from a centralised location in Male’.
Blood is mostly donated to the 600 children with thalassemia in the Maldives, as they need 160 units of blood every week. Around 360 of the children are living in the Greater Male’ Region and seek treatment at the National Thalassemia Centre in Male’ City. MBS obtain 33% of blood from volunteers and blood donation camps while 67% are from donors associated with the children.