Blood donors needed, supply running low

KUALA LUMPUR: Blood collection at the National Blood Centre (PDN) in the first week of Ramadan was less than 60 per cent of the required 500 to 600 bags of blood to be collected by the centre, while the Puspanitapuri Blood Donation Suite in Putrajaya recorded only 32.8 per cent collection.

This number is alarming because every 43 seconds, one bag of blood is needed to save a patient's life.

PDN, in a statement today, said that as many as 500 to 600 donors were needed daily to ensure the need to save patients' lives was met.

The country's stock of blood supply must always be sufficient to meet the needs of transfusion procedures (for cases that require blood transfusions such as accidents, surgery and even routine treatment such as Thalassemia patients), it said.

In this regard, the PDN invites the public to donate blood in this holy month of Ramadan.

Besides, organisations are also encouraged to organise regular mobile blood donation campaigns or group donation to any of the PDN centres (PDN Jalan Tun Razak, PDN Donation Suite at Midvalley Megamall and Puspanitapuri Blood Donation Suite, Presint 10 in Putrajaya).

For more information, the public can call 03-2613 2777 or browse the PDN social media accounts.

-- BERNAMA