KUCHING: Sarawak General Hospital and all bolld banks in the state are taking steps to replenish their blood supply to ensure sufficient stock of blood during the upcoming Chinese New Year holidays.
This is because past experiences have shown that there would always be a drop in blood supply during the festive seasons. It is estimated that blood use during the festive seasons would increase to about 20% in many hospitals compared to normal days due to an increase in surgery cases, accident and emergency cases, and use by talasemia and cancer patients.
Blood donation exercises needed to be held to replenish blood suppy in blood banks throughout the country to stablise the present critical condition. Members of the public are urged to come forward to donate their blood at the Blood Bank of Sarawak General Hospital, Mobile Blood Donation Unit or Blood Bank of Sibu, Miri and Bintulu Hospitals.
This weekend (20-21 Jan) the Blood Bank of Sarawak General Hospital will hold a blood donation drive at two separate venues. The first veneu is at Giant Supermarket at 10th Mile on 20 January (Saturday) from 10 am to 3 pm followed by Selection Supermarket, Wisma Wan, Jalan Tabuan Jaya on the following day 21 January (Sunday) at the same time.
Interested members of the public are urged to join in the exercise and advised to take their meal before donating their blood apart from fulfilling other conditions such as being healthy, at least 45kgs and above, aged between 18 and 70 years (for those who have donated blood before) and aged between 18 and 60 years (for first time blood donors).
For those 17 years old, a consent letter is required from his/ her parents or guardian which is available at the registration counter before they can donate their blood. Parents and guardians are also required to be present during the blood donation. Blood donors are also advised to have enough rest or sleep at least five hours, no health problems and not on medication such as taking anitbiotic recenty.
Other conditions include not involved in homosexual, bisexual and immoral activities, change sex partner and drug abuse. For those who don’t have the opportunity to donate their blood this weekend can go to blood bank nearest them. Sarawak General Hospital: Mon to Fri – 8,00am to 4.30pm (open at lunch) Saturday to Sunday – SGH Mobile Blood Bank Sibu, Mi r i and Bintul u Hospitals: Monday to Thursday– 8.00am– 12.30pm, 2.00pm – 4.30pm.
Fr iday 8.00am–11.30am, 2.00pm– 4.30pm. Sarawak General Hospital is in need of B, A, O and AB blood groups to ensure that there is always sufficent blood supply. The Blood Bank of Sarawak General Hospital may be contacted at tel: 082-276797 or 082- 276795. Sibu Hospital: 084-343333, Miri Hospital: 085-420033 and Bintulu Hospital.
