The Mandeville Regional Hospital’s (MRH) Blood Bank is encouraging persons to make regular blood donation their responsibility as it moves to make the process easier for donors. The Blood Bank has extended its opening hours to accommodate blood donations beyond regular hours.

Regional Medical Technologist at the MRH Blood Bank, Mr. Donovan Leon says the hours have been modified to 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays and on Fridays 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The facility is however closed on weekends and public holidays.

Mr. Leon noted that persons have expressed gratitude for the extended hours particularly those who could not go the Blood Bank because of work and other engagements.

He is appealing to the public to make regular blood donation a part of their lives because in an emergency it may be too late and the constant supply of blood increases the likelihood that supplies will be available when needed.

Since the successful staging of its Blood Drive on May 30, 2016, the Mandeville Regional Hospital has been on a drive to change the culture of blood donation and has undertaken several initiatives including the extended hours, renovation to the existing Blood Bank with consideration for an improved and larger site for a future Blood Bank and continued public education.

Mr. Leon is reminding persons that voluntary blood donation is very important because “the life you save may be your very own”.