Blood Drives to Assist with the Shortage at the Blood Bank

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Health confirmed a hold on some elective surgeries due to a shortage of blood supply at the blood bank. Today, when we spoke with Director of Health Services, Doctor Marvin Manzanero, he told News Five that the Central Medical Lab has organized a number of blood drives across the country to build on the depleting supply. The first will be held on Saturday in Belize City and volunteer blood donors are asked to come out.

Marvin Manzanero

Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services

“There is a blood drive going on tomorrow here in Belize City and what Central Medical Lab is trying to do is have blood drives in the respective major towns. And this is going to have to be an ongoing process because the blood…we are always going to be at critical lower levels of blood. It is an issue. And it is not also the fact that there is no reagent or that the machine wasn’t working—which is what was said on social media. It’s not; we just under.”