THE Canadian High Commission, in collaboration with its related agencies, Wednesday kick-started its annual blood drive to augment the National Blood Bank stock.

Blood Donor Manager at the National Blood Transfusion Centre (NBTC), Ms. Shameeza Mangal, told the media that the donor agencies included members from the British High Commission and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

She explained that the aim is to create a new blood culture where people voluntarily donate blood to ensure an adequate supply in the blood bank.

Another objective, Ms. Mangal said, is to move away from the tradition where persons only give blood when they have a hospitalised relative in need.

The Blood Donor Manager said the NBTC has conducted numerous awareness seminars to get private and public sector agencies, including the media, non-governmental organisations and faith-based organisations onboard the drive.

She acknowledged that the Canadian High Commission was one of the agencies that recognised the needs of the NBTC.

Ms. Mangal reported that so far this year, voluntary donations add up to more than 60 per cent of the total amount of blood donated; and encouragingly, some family oriented donors have been converted to voluntary ones.

She disclosed that the buffer stock at the blood bank requires about 144 units of blood per day; but currently, the bank has just above 50 per cent of that amount.

Important to note, the Blood Donor Manager stressed, is that a blood shortage is not like a commodity item, and as such there is no man-made formula that can be use as blood substitutes.

The NBTC will be holding a blood drive today in Rose Hall, Berbice, where Cyril Potter College of Education students have recruited some potential 120 donors.

Another drive will be held at a health fair organised by the Stewartville Seven Day Adventist Church.

One of the donors, Canadian Hunger Foundation (CHF), Guyana Field Director Ms. Jean Lowry said she was particularly motivated to be part of the exercise because many staffers at her organisation recently underwent various surgeries.