Mississippi Blood Services will become central Mississippi’s primary blood and blood products provider in 2009.

United Blood Services announced Monday it is pulling out of central Mississippi on Jan. 1.

MBS will take over supplying the G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baptist Medical Center, River Region Health Systems in Vicksburg and Madison Parish Hospital in Tallulah, La.

MBS is already the provider all other central Mississippi hospitals, including the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Mississippi Blood Services collects about 65,000 units of blood annually and, with the switch, officials expect that number to increase by at least 15,000.

Officials say United Blood Services will focus its efforts in eastern Mississippi.