Appeal for blood

PETALING JAYA: The National Blood Centre (NBC) is calling on the public to come forward and donate blood. Its Deputy Director I Dr Tun Maizura Mohd Fatullah told theSun that on average, the country needs 2,000 to 2,200 bags of blood each day for use by about 1,000 patients, and NBC supplies some 570 bags daily to government and private hospitals in the Klang Valley.

“Patients include those who require transfusions, particularly thalassemia and cancer patients as well as those with postpartum bleeding, had surgeries and those involved in emergencies such as accidents or injuries.

“Our goal is to collect 4,000 bags of whole blood and 120 bags of plasma apheresis per week for supply to 80 government and private health facilities as well as to fulfil our other requirements.”

Maizura said the NBC collected 174,872 blood bags in 2021, 203,819 bags last year and 75,110 bags from January to April this year, which is far short of its requirement.

She said the policy on blood donations requires it to be from voluntary non-numerated blood donors, as recommended by the World Health Organisation.

“From our experience, low blood collection is common during festivals, the fasting month, long school holidays, monsoon seasons, disasters and even the Covid-19 pandemic.

“In ensuring bloodstock is available and enough, all blood collection efforts throughout the country practises a blood forecasting system to monitor and ensure continuous blood availability.

“Therefore, we can foresee and plan proactively to optimise blood collection. But we need the public to come forward regularly and donate blood so that we have ample stock,” she said.

Maizura added that the number of blood donors should grow in tandem with the country’s population and development “as we aim to have 27 to 30 blood donors per 1,000 population by the year 2030”.

“Various strategies have been employed to increase the number of donors, including continuous education and promotion through direct approach activities such as street campaigns, continuous medical education among blood donors, the public, blood campaign organisers and healthcare personnel.

“We also promote blood donations online and through education via webinars for the younger generation at schools and universities. The NBC also actively promotes and provides to the media informative material related to blood donations.

“Several interviews and talk shows have been broadcast on various radio and television channels, while we advertise blood donation campaigns on our social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and the NBC website, which has the most up-to-date information about blood donation campaigns.”

Maizura said the NBC is an agency under the Health Ministry that is responsible for blood transfusion services and also blood collection for the central region.

“The main role of the transfusion medicine service is to provide safe, quality and adequate blood for patients in need, in line with internationally accepted standards.

“Blood collection is done through blood donation drives as well as our static centres. Our blood donation drives contribute 70% of our blood collection.

“Our static collection centres are divided into hospital-based blood banks across the country and blood donation suites as a part of our smart partnership project. In light of our need for blood, we urge the public to visit our static donation suites to donate blood.”

She said the NBC plans an average of eight to 12 blood donation drives per day.

“Blood donation is a social responsibility by all, especially Malaysians, and each donation could save three lives.

“We encourage all blood donors to donate blood as a regular practice every three to four months.”

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