PHUKET: The blood bank at Vachira Phuket Hospital celebrated its 56th anniversary yesterday (May 23) with a formal ceremony at Phuket Provincial Hall chaired by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew and joined by 337 guests.
Boonwandee Woonciew, who as Governor Narong’s wife currently serves as President of the Phuket Red Cross, explained that May 23 marked the day that King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit officially opened the blood bank at the Lert Pokarak Building at Vachira Phuket Hospital in 1967.
It was the first blood bank on Phuket, Ms Boonwandee noted.
“It has been highly beneficial for all local Phuket people, people who live in provinces nearby as well as visitors or travelers in Phuket,” Ms Boonwandee said.
“The blood bank at Vachira Phuket Hospital has pursued the vision of HM The King and The Queen by providing sufficient blood and blood components for patients. In the past year, 40,000 units of blood have been provided for patients in need,” she added.
Campaigns to promote awareness of the blood bank ‒ and the constant need for blood donations ‒ will continue, Ms Boonwandee noted.
She also expressed gratitude to all people who have donated blood.
As part of the celebrations yesterday, the Phuket Red Cross handed out special plaques to people who had made 200, 150 or 100 blood donations.
Souvenir brooches were handed out to people who had made 96, 84, 72, 60 or 48 blood donations
Certificates were also handed out to government offices that have supported blood donations, campaigns and mobile donation blood clinics, and souvenirs were given to volunteers at the blood bank of Vachira Phuket Hospital as a thank you for their efforts.
JOIN THE EFFORT
People can donate blood at the Blood Bank on the 4th floor of Vachira Phuket Hospital and at the blood bank at the offices of the Phuket chapter of the Thai Red Cross Society(Phuket RBC) in Phuket Town. For more details, click here.
The Phuket RBC invites donors to visit various locations across the island throughout May. The Phuket Red Cross outreach campaign schedule for the remainder of the month is as follows:
- May 26 – noon-6pm – Lotus’s Thalang
- May 26 – 9am-1pm – CU Bank Phuket
- May 27 – noon-6pm – Lotus’s Bypass
- May 29 – noon-6pm – Central Floresta
- May 29 – noon-6pm – Lotus’s Bypass
- May 31 – noon-6pm – Lotus’s Thalang
- May 31 – noon-6pm – Lotus’s Bypass
Vachira Phuket Hospital conducts its own outreach campaign, with the remaining outreach clinics to be held as follows:
- May 26 – 10am-3pm – Thalang Hospital
- May 29 – 10am-3pm – Thai Watsadu Chalong
