?as CHI continues open-heart operationsAn urgent appeal for blood is being made by the Ministry of Health to facilitate open-heart surgeries set for this weekend at the Caribbean Heart Institute (CHI). The Institute is situated within the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.According to Minister of Health,[url=http://www.cheapjerseysauthenticonline.us@#$%&/]Jerseys China Wholesale[/url], Dr Leslie Ramsammy, the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) will be seeking to acquire as much blood and blood products over the next few days to ensure that all operations are undertaken smoothly.He said that as is customary during the operations that are spearheaded by CHI?s Chief Executive Officer,[url=http://www.chinanfljerseysauthentic.us@#$%&/]Cheap NFL Jerseys China[/url], Dr Gary Stephens,[url=http://www.nfljerseyscheaponline.us@#$%&/]Wholesale Jerseys Online[/url], there will be a huge demand for blood. Just last weekend the blood bank was able to secure just over 300 units of blood following blood drives that were organised by SEVA Guyana, a Faith-based organisation, and from walk-in donors at the NBTS, according to the Minister.He noted that there is still the possibility that more blood will be required. The NBTS does not only facilitate the operations at the GPHC but also other private hospitals.?I might have to ask for more blood because I now have to see whether we have the right blood types. It might be that we have a lot of blood but not the kind and the products that will be required for this weekend…?The Minister is however optimistic that the requisite blood will be made available as the need arises.And there has never been an instance since the commencement of open-heart surgery at the local institute that sufficient blood has readily availed to facilitate operations. Dr Stephens, during a previous interview with this newspaper, had noted ?that we always get the amount that we need. We have never had a problem with that.?According to Minister Ramsammy,[url=http://www.wholesalejerseyssale.us@#$%&/]China NFL Jerseys[/url], there can be no doubt that Guyana has come a far way as it relates to greater sensitisation of the public about blood donation.As a result,[url=http://www.salecheapjerseys.us@#$%&/]NFL Cheap Jerseys[/url], he said that more people are seeking to become donors. At the moment there are 10,000 voluntary donors that donate to the blood bank on a regular basis.?We are not looking for 279 units at one time (like what was obtained last Sunday at the SEVA Guyana blood drive). That is a rough thing to do…it is not a simple task to collect so much blood at one time.?For this reason,[url=http://www.nfljerseyschinaauthentic.us]Cheap NFL Jerseys China[/url], the Minister said that efforts are being made to solicit the support of the donors and collaborators to aid organised blood drives throughout the year. ?The idea is to have these donations stretch across the entire year so that there is a constant flow of the blood. It will allow us to manage it better and we will be able to plan better. If all of us come together and we are able to organise in such a way we will be able to do better and not just have spurs here and there like we are having right now.?According to the Minister, there are months when ?we are just struggling but I know during the past weekend we were just lucky and that may prove to be very good for us this weekend with the planned surgeries at hand…?And there has been notable headway the Minister noted, as efforts are intensified to reach the ambitious goal of 100 percent voluntary donors by 2012.?I am sure that the scepticism was there that we can?t even go to 10,000 units…I think people thought I had gone crazy but now we are flirting with 80 percent (voluntary donors).Today I don?t believe that there is a single Guyanese that doubts us now. People have begun to believe that our goals will happen and the dedication and commitment of some individuals and organisations tell us that we can make it.According to the Minister, several persons are approaching the Ministry expressing their desire to become centurions of the cause. He revealed that there are even a number of young people who have not attained an age to give blood but are already aspiring to give blood by the time they turn 17.The plan is, according to the Minister, for the youths to achieve a 25×25 status that is being the donor of 25 units of blood by the time they reach the age of 25.And given the numerous efforts that are in motion, Minister Ramsammy expressed satisfaction that things are moving apace,[url=http://www.salecheapjerseys.us@#$%&/]NFL Jerseys Cheap[/url], even as he noted that there is yet more to be done to ensure that safe blood continues to be made available to those in need.