Roadtown, Tortola - Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Social Development Honourable Dancia Penn OBE, QC is in full support of the 2009 Blood Donor Registry Campaign that will be launched later this month by the local branch of the British Red Cross in conjunction with the laboratory at Peebles Hospital.

Honourable Penn endorsed the initiative during her message for World Blood Donor Day, which will be broadcast on local radio today and tomorrow. “I applaud the British Virgin Islands Red Cross for teaming up with the lab at Peebles Hospital to mount a blood donor drive.  I add my voice of encouragement and ask for the public’s cooperation,” she said.

The Minister added she is confident that the blood bank at Peebles Hospital can achieve its goal of re-establishing an efficient blood donor programme by next year. She added, “Our aim is to have a steady supply of blood available and to be able to respond immediately if someone is injured or otherwise becomes seriously ill.”

Honourable Penn acknowledged the difficulties that are usually encountered in efforts to have an adequate pool of blood donors. The minister said she is respectful of each person’s decision not to be a blood donor, but urged persons in the Territory to be mindful of the consequences of the unavailability of blood for the efficient functioning of the health care system.

“While there is a general perception that there is not a blood bank at Peebles Hospital, I am happy to confirm that a blood bank does in fact exist at the hospital and that blood can be stored there for up to 35 days. However, we are in real need of blood donors,” she said.

World Blood Donor Day is observed each year on June 14. This year’s theme was “Achieving 100 percent Non-Remunerated Donation of Blood and Blood Components.”

The local Blood Donor Registry Campaign, by the Peebles Hospital laboratory and the British Virgin Islands Red Cross, is scheduled to begin towards the end of this month under the unifying slogan “Give the gift of blood”, along with the Red Cross’ own community partnership slogan “Together we can meet the need”. The campaign is expected to last for several months.

The Ministry of Health and Social Development aspires to provide leadership that promotes health, social wellbeing, and a safe environment as positive resources for living and sustainable development of the Virgin Islands (UK).