THE National Aids Programme Secretariat (NAPS) yesterday joined in the continuing blood drive at its Hadfield Street and Old College Road, Georgetown location.

The collection was one of several such recently organised as the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) continues to educate and motivate people to become volunteer donors.

Blood Donors Recruitment Officer, Ms. Shameeza Mangal, speaking during a sensitisation exercise with staff, said the mobile unit is going out and targeting larger groups through organisations because people are more comfortable in their own environments than a clinical one.

She explained that giving allows individuals to know their blood count level, pressure, group, weight and pulse as well as the opportunity to produce new cells, receive a certificate of donation when giving voluntarily and using the certificate in an emergency.

But the greatest benefit is that each donor can save up to three lives with just one donation, Mangal pointed out.

Appealing for more donations, as the demand for blood is higher than the supply, she said the Ministry of Health and NBTS are working towards achieving 100 per cent regular volunteerism.

Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy said Guyana is poised right now to move to the position where every unit of blood comes from persons who would have volunteered and eliminate the family donor.

He said the objective is to have at least 10,000 blood donors since studies around the world have shown that voluntarily donated blood is the safest.

Ramsammy said, in order to prepare for that achievement, programmes are ongoing to encourage people and the pace has accelerated with a number of entities getting involved in the quest.

During the weekend, the Cuban medical team and the Sai Baba group contributed to the voluntary process.