Page 350 - Bahrain Gov annual reports(V)_Neat

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Internally in the Hospital, all departments have been working at high pressure more
especially the Surgical Unit, where Mr. Wilkins and Dr. Youngman have had their time fully
occupied in dealing with an ever increasing demand and who have performed invaluable services.
Dr. Youngman, the anaesthetist, has brought into being a most successful blood transfusion
service and a summary of his report is as follows :

Blood Transfusion Service. The demand for blood has continued to rise as the scope of
surgery has increased ; the incidence of anaemia is very high, so also increasing the demand
for blood in child-birth and after accidents.
The system of taking blood for specific patients requiring it was used up to 16th April
when a blood-bank was started. The idea of the bank was to have available blood for all
groups at all times.
The blood bank is maintained by having a bleeding session once per week and being
prepared to keep the blood up to three weeks.

A register of blood donors is kept ; donors are not called more frequently than once per
six months. Relatives of patients receiving blood are strongly persuaded to give blood.

A blood specimen is taken from all donors for grouping, W.R., Kahn, and Haemoglobin
results ; all positive W.R. and Kahn patients are rejected and those with a haemoglobin below
80 per cent, (11.6 gms. per cent.). These latter tests cause us to reject quite a number of
Asiatics as anaemia is so prevalent here. All donors are also asked about malaria and infective
hepatitis; if symptom free of malaria for one year they are accepted, but all those with a true
history of infective hepatitis are rejected. The Arab-Indian community are slow as yet to offer
themselves as donors, but we have several on our register, most of whom are hospital staff.
This reluctance to give blood is decreasing, as more people give blood and the fear of the
unknown is removed. The local European community are very good in volunteering and this
is greatly increased by the Services personnel.
A payment of Rs. 20/- to each donor was started on 20th August, to encourage more
people to volunteer. The publicity side of encouraging blood donors is run through the local
Firms, Government Departments and Clubs of all nationalities and Radio Bahrain is also used
for this purpose. It is intended to have an intensive publicity campaign in the New Year.

From January 1st, 1956 to April 16th, 45 bottles of blood were taken.
30 from Europeans.

15 from Asiatics.
From April 16th to December 31st, 345 bottles taken.
83 per cent, from Europeans.

17 per cent, from Asiatics.

Recipients during this period were 96 per cent. Asiatics and 4 per cent. Europeans.
Medically, the Winter again proved very trying for the various types of Broncho-Pneu­
monia and Pneumonitis. Later on the hot weather, more intensive than usual in late July and
August, showed victims of heat exhaustion among the Arabs and some deaths from heat
hyperpyrexia, which is not usual. This was reflected in the higher incidence from ships and
tanker personnel.
In October, a small epidemic of Smallpox broke out in certain villages, imported from
South Iraq. This fortunately was brought very quickly under control. It was the first of its
kind for several years. Ophthalmic work has increased both in town and villages and an
Ophthalmic Unit has been built to deal with this as a separate centre. The appointment of an
Eye Specialist will help to raise the standard and promote more continuous treatment in the
villages.