To mark World Blood Donor Day tomorrow, King Edward VII Memorial Hospital is asking for volunteers to come forward and give blood, especially in light of the recent gang violence which has put a strain on the Island's blood supplies.

Dr. Betsie Lombard of the hospital's blood transfusion service said that a "handful" of new donors had given blood since the last appeal by the hospital, but that Bermuda still lagged way behind the rest of the world in donor numbers.

"In other countries, about six percent of the population donates blood regularly," she said. "In Bermuda, that number is about three percent."

Dr. Lombard stressed the importance of having enough units of blood on hand for any trauma incidents, including the recent spate of shootings.

"These are the things we can't predict," she said, adding that blood is needed on a daily basis for medical patients and surgeries.

She was careful to point out that the so-called 'expat ruling' on blood donation is misleadingly named.

Expats and Bermudians alike are eligible to give blood unless they have spent three months in the UK or five years in Europe between 1980 and 1996.

This decision was introduced by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), which incorporates Bermuda, around ten years ago amid fears over Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (CJD), the human form of BSE, or mad cow disease.

"This ruling made us lose about 30 percent of our donors in Bermuda not just expats, Bermudians too," said Dr. Lombard.

Potential donors are asked to fill out a questionnaire with details on any medication or diseases.

"People can self-exclude," Dr. Lombard explained.

"We want to be sure we have enough donors to call on if there is a critical need," Dr. Lombard said. "Thank you to our current donors for stepping up to the plate."

Blood donor clinics are on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 8.30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Anyone interested in donating should call the Red Cross Blood Donor Centre at 236-5067.