New Zealand (Commonwealth Union)_The new Waikato Blood Bank is twice as large as its older one and is located on the Waikato Hospital premises. According to Chris Lowry, interim district co-director for Te Whatu Ora Waikato, having the $2 million facility on campus makes blood and blood products readily available, which is vital for the timely treatment of the patients. “As a tertiary center and trauma hospital, it’s an essential service we cannot do without,” he said.
According to a statement, the purpose-built facility was built by Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand in partnership with the New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS). NZBS will lease and administer the facility. The newly launched facility is the first in a decade on the Waiora Waikato Hospital premises. Every week, the Waikato Blood Bank distributes around 180 units of red blood cells and 35 units of platelets, in addition to evaluating approximately 100 blood samples to donate compatible blood products to hospital patients. Additionally, it preserves stem cells from patients and donates bone tissue for reconstructive surgery.
According to NZBS chief executive Sam Clifford, the facility is also twice as large as the previous blood bank, reflecting the growing need for blood and blood products. “It’s essential that our facilities also grow to meet that demand, so I’m very pleased that our team has this new, fit-for-purpose space to carry out their life-saving work for patients,” he said. “Often, it’s not until you or someone close to you needs blood to survive that you think about how these products make their way to you”. He added that blood banks are a critical link in this life-saving mission, which begins with the voluntary donation of blood by donors and ends when a patient receives the final product. Since January 2021, it has issued over 25,000 items for the treatment of illnesses such as hemophilia and dry eye. The New Zealand Blood Service Waikato Blood Bank staff will vacate the 15-year-old facility and begin operations in the new one in about one week.
Waikato Hospital, Thames Hospital, Te Kiti Hospital, Tokoroa Hospital, and three other private institutions are served by the Waikato Blood Bank.
