A major blood drive will take place over the weekend, with seven churches, including groups from New Zealand and Australia, taking part in the drive at the Assemblies of God Church in Vailele.

The drive starts at 9 am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. However, only a limited number of donors will be accepted due to storage capacity constraints.

The Samoa Red Cross Society says blood donations are needed daily to maintain a proper supply at the hospital, while urging the public not to panic when calls for donors appear online.

Secretary General Namulauulu Tautala Maualaivao said donations and storage remain ongoing challenges for teams working to support the national health system.

“We actively seek donors, whether in government offices, banks, hotels, churches, or villages; we go where the donors are. But sometimes people panic unnecessarily,” she said.

Maualaivao explained that under normal arrangements, doctors should contact the blood bank directly when a patient needs blood. However, when families are asked to help, appeals often spread quickly on social media.

She added that hospital staff coordinate closely with the Red Cross when supplies run low.

Maualaivao also highlighted challenges with blood storage, including limited capacity and equipment issues.

“Blood donation is a daily task; we conduct regular donations and extra drives to meet hospital demand. Remember, many medical procedures cannot be done without blood. Sometimes the demand is low, but supply may also be low because not enough donors are available.”

Maualaivao added that while people continue to post requests online, there are blood banks at the hospital, and collection efforts are part of the Red Cross’s daily work. A blood drive was also conducted on Monday, with operations dependent on available storage facilities.