Maldivian Blood Services (MBS), in collaboration with State Electric Company Ltd. (STELCO), held a blood donation drive on Wednesday as part of its campaign to provide much-needed blood to thalassaemia patients.
MBS is currently partnering with state-institutions and private parties to conduct blood donation drives to ensure availability of safe blood supplies for thalassaemia patients.
The event conducted in collaboration with STELCO was the 31st blood donation drive organised by MBS.
MBS said it had so far collected over 1100 pints of blood through the campaign.
150 staff of STELCO donated blood during Wednesday’s drive.
Director General at MBS Dr. Asma Ibrahim said between 25 and 30 pints of blood are needed on a daily basis for Thalassemia patients.
There are a total of 620 Thalassemia patients currently registered with MBS, whom, it says, require 150 pints of blood every week.
The government, in association with non-governmental organisations, has been taking steps to reduce the prevalence of thalassaemia for over 40 years.
MBS earlier said no significant progress had been made in reducing the prevalence of the blood disorder which is passed down through families.
Thalassaemia is a genetic blood disorder.
People born with this condition cannot make normal hemoglobin which is needed to produce healthy red blood cells. Regular blood transfusions are the only treatment available to patients with thalassaemia.