The blood bank will operate for 24 hours and will result in
rapid availability of cross-matched blood to the hospital and other surrounding
hospitals, where the demand is always high, particularly in trauma wards with Khayelitsha
being classified as a red zone. Gregory Bellairs, chief executive of Western
Cape Blood Service, said this was the first blood bank they had opened in more
than 20 years.
It has enabled them to bring the blood supply closer to the
patients of this and surrounding hospitals, and that includes improving their
ability to supply blood on the Cape Flats where the epidemic of trauma and
violence is high, as well as the burden of disease.
Khayelitsha has a lot of interpersonal violence with gunshot
and stab wounds cases in the emergency care. Bringing this service closer to
the people is even much more necessary as blood is a precious gift, which will
enable us to save more lives.
By: Aneeqa du Plessis
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