Rea Noponen from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent, Suva was in Tonga to run a three-days workshop to develop Safe Blood strategies for Tonga. The workshop ran from November 22-24 and was attended by 20 participants from non-government organisations, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Police.

Dr Litili 'Ofanoa, the Director of Health said that Tonga Blood Bank was established during the 1980s and even though it was still in operation but was not operating as it should. In a number of instances when blood was urgently needed, for a specific blood group, there was no blood in the bank and they had to call for donors.