IN AN effort to promote blood donations in Jamaica, the Ministry of Health and Environment will be celebrating World Blood Donor Day on Tuesday.

In a message to mark the day, Health Minister Rudyard Spencer noted that voluntary blood donations were "the cornerstone of an adequate and safe blood supply."

"(It is) a commitment to health that is crucial to Jamaica's successful achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, especially those relating to maternal and new-born health," Spencer added.

The World Health Organisation reports that annually, more than 500,000 preventable deaths occur during pregnancy or childbirth. An estimated 99 per cent of these vulnerable women and babies live in developing countries such as ours.

According to the health minister, it is important that Jamaica fosters a culture of voluntary donation to ensure consistently safe and adequate supply of blood is available at all times.

Highly valued partners

He has praised the highly valued partners who, over the years, have enriched Jamaica's national blood service.

Individuals are being urged to donate blood at the Pan American Health Organisation's annual blood drive at the head office of the Ministry of Health and Environ-ment in downtown Kingston.

The theme for World Blood Donor Day is 'Giving Blood Regularly: Once is not Enough'.