MOH mulls giving blood donors priority in next vaccination phase

KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry (MOH) is looking into a proposal that those who have donated blood more than 50 times be given priority in the second phase of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the MOH will raise the matter with the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee.

"It is actually a good proposal and an incentive for blood donors in the country," he told a media conference after a visit to the National Blood Centre (PDN) here today.

There had been suggestions by blood donors that they be given priority in the COVID-19 vaccination exercise.

Meanwhile, Dr Adham said 652,671 blood bags were collected nationwide in 2020, a drop of 12.3 per cent compared to the previous year, adding that the decline was due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Dr Adham said blood stock throughout the country was still sufficient.

Dr Adham said the MOH was studying the need to commercialise the Blood Bank Management System developed by PDN to the private sector and abroad.

Elaborating further, he said the system covered blood donor data and various aspects of blood stock including blood group requirements, donor registration and PDN staff.

He also said during Ramadan, PDN would continue its operations until night to allow blood processing operations to continue and for blood donors, especially Muslims, to donate blood after breaking fast.

Dr Adham said organisers of blood donation campaigns can continue to hold them during Ramadan as blood stock is expected to drop during this period.

-- BERNAMA