KUCHING: The Blood Bank of Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) in collaboration with Sukarelawan Jalanan Sarawak held a blood donation drive at the hospital’s blood bank centre.
The programme held on yesterday (Jan 29), aimed to increase blood supply at the hospital and raise awareness about the importance of donating blood.
Among those who turned up was Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Batu Lintang chairman Sih Hua Tong, who encouraged and thanked the donors.
“I am deeply moved by the outpouring of support for this blood donation drive. It is heartening to see so many people coming forward to help save lives by giving blood,” he said.
“I am proud to be a supporter of Sukarelawan Jalanan Sarawak and their efforts to ensure the hospital has enough blood on hand to meet the daily demand of blood bags and to keep up with the unexpected events that may require more blood.”
According to the founder of Sukarelawan Jalanan Sarawak, Suraina Haji Adenan, the drive was a success, with over 75 regular donors turning up to give blood, including a special donor who holds the record for most blood donations and several first-time donors.
“We are thrilled with the response from the community, and we are so grateful to everyone who came out to donate,” said Suraina.
One of the donors, Wong Ngie Hook, 50, who holds the record has donated blood over 60 times and was proud to be a part of such a noble cause.
“I feel good giving blood, it’s a small thing I can do to help someone in need and I encourage more people to do the same.” said the mechanic.
But what drives him to give blood so regularly? It all goes back to the time when he attended an event where there was a presentation about blood donation about 30 years ago.
“That was the first time I appreciated how giving blood could save lives,” Wong said.
He donated his first unit of blood after he finished school, aged 20. At the donation centre that day, he met his friend, who told him he had donated more than 50 times.
“That inspired me to become a regular blood donor,” Wong said.
He has done exactly that, donating blood roughly every 90 days except when he has been unwell.
The blood bank centre also expressed appreciation for the support from the NGO and the community.
“Blood donation is vital to the operation of our hospital, and we rely on the support of donors to ensure we have enough blood on hand for patients in need,” said SGH Transfusion and Blood Bank Services Department spokesperson Dr Siti Rashidah Abu Bakar.
She added that the centre had 677 blood bags in their inventory as of yesterday and hoped this drive will help increase the number of blood bags they have in stock.
“Blood donations really do save lives, and a single donation could save up to three lives,” she said.
“There is no substitute for it. ‘The need for blood never takes a day off’ was the slogan that formed the backbone of a drive encouraging the public to come forward to give blood.”
The need for blood is universal, but access to blood for all those who need it is not.
According to her, blood is a perishable product that can only be stored for a limited period of time. Red blood cells can be stored for 42 days, platelets for five days, and plasma for a year.
This means that regular blood donations are essential to ensure there is a steady supply of safe blood for patients who need it, in many medical emergencies.
“It’s often needed by women who have complications during pregnancy and childbirth; patients with anaemia need blood transfusions throughout their lives; cancer patients frequently need blood daily during chemotherapy treatment,” she added, noting that on an average day, the hospital uses around 70 blood bags, making it crucial that the blood bank centre has a steady stream of donations.
There are four major blood groups: A, B, O and AB, and each can be positive or negative.
“In Malaysia, O is the most common blood type, followed by A and B with the rarest being the AB blood type.
“This makes O negative blood particularly valuable in emergency situations where there may not be time to determine the recipient’s blood type. O negative blood can be used in transfusions for trauma patients, newborns, and people who have a rare blood type,” she explained.
So, O blood donors are always in high demand and it’s critical to encourage O blood donors to give blood regularly.
However, it’s important to note that not everyone is eligible to donate blood and there are some restrictions on who can donate, such as age, weight, and certain medical conditions.
“Donors can give a unit (about 450 ml) at a time roughly every three months, and at most it takes an hour (an hour to save a life – maybe lives – think about that). Another interesting fact is that an adult person has around 5 litres (approximately 10.5 pints) of blood. Only 10 per cent (one pint) of blood is taken from the body during a blood donation,” she said.
There might even be benefits to the donor. According to one study, regular donation could help manage hypertension.
So it’s an entirely safe procedure – and blood is managed stringently afterwards, undergoing a slew of tests to make sure the right parts go to the right people.
“The process causes no pain at all,” Wong said, adding that it doesn’t compromise donor health in any way.
He still can repair cars and works five to seven times a week.
“I have been giving blood for 50 years and I am still perfectly fit and healthy,” he said.
With any luck, he will be able to repeat his ‘little ritual’ for many years to come.
On February 4, in conjunction with World Cancer Day, Sukarelawan Jalanan Sarawak will organise another blood donation drive at Summer Mall, Kota Samarahan.
It will feature a variety of activities and educational opportunities to raise awareness about cancer and the importance of regular blood donation.
