Tonga Red Cross urges regular voluntary blood donations

“Every drop counts” is the message from the Tonga Red Cross as the organisation prepares to commemorate World Blood Donor Day.

Sione Taumoefolau, the Secretary-General of Tonga Red Cross, says that while the country heavily relies on emergency and family-related donations, the goal is to shift towards regular voluntary donations to maintain a stable blood supply.

“The one area that we are looking for is the capacity of the bank,” Taumoefolau says.

Due to calendar adjustments, the Red Cross hosted World Blood Donor Day celebrations on Friday under the theme "Keep Blood, Keep Hope, Together We Save Lives."

One significant challenge facing Tonga’s blood donation efforts is limited storage capacity.

According to Taumoefolau, the blood bank’s refrigerator can only hold 50 donor bags, which is sufficient for about a month.

The ongoing demand for blood due to surgical operations, childbirth, and emergencies underscores the urgent need for continuous donations.

“Most of the people here in Tonga, they only come and contribute their blood if they are relatives or cousins who are in the hospital,” he says.

“So, we try to look at how we make this one as an organic source for anyone who would like to contribute to any life we are saving in the future.”

Sione Taumoefolau is the Secretary General to the Red Cross since 2000. Photo/Tonga Red cross Facebook

The Tonga Red Cross aims to change this culture by encouraging voluntary donations that are not tied to emergencies.

In partnership with the Ministry of Health, the Red Cross manages the logistical aspects of blood collection.

Hospital laboratory technicians conduct screenings at Red Cross facilities, and the organisation maintains donor records, which are crucial for future outreach.

Every year countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day (WBDD). The event serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood. Photo/Tonga Red Cross Facebook

Taumoefolau emphasises the need for sustained commitment beyond occasional events.

“In the future, we would like to have a data sector here in the Red Cross and also in New South Wales.

“For anyone who would like to contribute their blood, they can come and register and also their blood test to make sure you keep it with us.”

Listen to Sione's full interview here