Voluntary Blood Donation PNG- A Gift That Saves Lives

SNS Tech staff, alongside colleagues from sister company Pacific Architects, recently took part in an informative awareness session led by a representative from the Sir Brian Bell Centre for Transfusion Medicine Operations Manager, Xenia Peni. The session focused on the life- saving power of voluntary blood donation in Papua New Guinea and highlighted the importance of donating blood.

A particularly powerful insight from the session was: one blood donation can save up to three lives.

The team learned that donated blood helps:

• Mothers with pregnancy complications like hemorrhage or ectopic pregnancies
• Children suffering from severe anemia, often caused by malaria or malnutrition
• Victims of trauma from accidents or natural disasters
• Cancer patients and those undergoing surgery
• And children with special medical needs, like those living with Thalassemia, who depend on regular transfusions to survive

The session also covered:

• Who can donate: Healthy adults aged 18–60, weighing 50kg or more
• How to prepare: Eat well, stay hydrated, avoid alcohol and fatty foods
• Health benefits for donors: Improved blood flow, balanced iron levels, reduced risk of stroke and heart attack
• Free mini health check: Hemoglobin level, blood pressure, weight, and screening for infectious diseases like HIV, hepatitis, and syphilis
• Confidentiality: All test results are kept strictly confidential

Did You Know?

• Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder that affects haemoglobin production. Children born with this condition often depend on regular blood transfusions to survive. Without donated blood, their bodies can’t carry enough oxygen, leading to severe complications.
• There are children in Papua New Guinea right now who rely on other people’s blood just to live a normal life. They don’t know who the donor is, and the donor doesn’t know them. But that one act of kindness can mean everything.
• One blood donation can save up to three lives. That’s not just a statistic it’s a real impact. It could be a mother in labour, a child fighting anaemia, or a patient recovering from surgery.

Donating blood is vital because, unlike medications, it cannot be manufactured or artificially produced. It can only come from one person to help another. Every donation is someone’s lifeline in a moment of critical need.

Donors like us play an important role in helping make sure that blood is available when and where it is needed most. When we donate blood, we’re not just giving fluid, we are giving hope, compassion, and life. It’s one of the greatest gifts a person can give, especially when it’s done out of love and good will. By promoting voluntary blood donation PNG-wide, we can ensure a steady supply for those in urgent need.

The Sir Brian Bell Centre for Transfusion Medicine is open daily from 9am to 3pm

You can collect your blood groupings and other results every Monday to Wednesday at Port Moresby General Hospital, Sir Brian Bell Centre for Transfusion Medicine

Check out their websites for more information % – Sir Brian Bell Foundation