Hon Tony Ryall
Minister of Health


4 December 2012 Media Statement
New blood service centre in Christchurch

Health Minister Tony Ryall today announced the New Zealand Blood Service, in partnership with Ngāi Tahu Property, will build a new blood donor and laboratory centre in Christchurch.

“80 per cent of us will need blood treatment at some point in our lives. Thanks to the country’s 120,000 blood donors, New Zealand is proudly self-sufficient in blood and blood products,” says Mr Ryall.

“The new centre will help ensure New Zealanders receive the blood treatments they need – even as demand continues to increase.

“The new state of the art blood centre will have more donor beds to meet the growing demand for plasma. It will also be fitted out with the latest laboratory equipment for testing and manufacturing, and a specialist warehouse for storing blood products.

“The arrangement between the New Zealand Blood Service and Ngāi Tahu Property is a great example of how a public-private partnership benefits the local community and the rest of the country.

Construction begins in the middle of next year and the new centre is expected to open for business in early 2015.

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