Accident victim to source blood from Jamaica

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Relatives of Sunday’s vehicle accident victim Anthony Barrett said they have resorted to sourcing blood from overseas so he could undergo life-saving surgery.
This week, an urgent appeal was made on social media for O-negative blood. However, a day after the appeal, another notice was broadcast indicating the blood will be sourced outside Antigua at a cost of EC $2,050 per pint.
OBSERVER media spoke to Barrett’s wife who indicated that the injured man, said to be in a medically induced coma, needs six pints of blood and the rare blood will be arriving from Jamaica, on Monday
According to his relatives, the hospital does not have O-negative blood so the doctors were forced to put him in a coma to keep him alive until they have the blood for surgery.
OBSERVER media contacted Medical Director Dr Albert Duncan who could not give specific detail to this case, but confirmed patients are responsible for sourcing blood, if it is not available locally.
“O-negative is a difficult blood to get in England, America and anywhere else. Blood requirement is a patient’s responsibility because we don’t have a national blood banking system nor are we a part of any national system,” Dr Duncan explained
Barrett, was a passenger in a single vehicle accident on Sir George Walter Highway on April 30.
The car, registration plate A43366 crashed into a boulder outside Gigi Industries around 6 am before bursting into flames.
His relatives told OBSERVER media his legs and pelvis bones are broken, his tailbone was crushed and his lungs are punctured.
Joseph Gregoire, who was driving the vehicle, sustained a fractured shoulder and other minor injuries.
Chief Medical Officer, Dr Rhonda Sealy-Thomas stated the Antigua & Barbuda Red Cross’ assistance was sought in this case, but to no avail and so regional blood banks were contacted to source and ship the rare blood.

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