KUCHING: The total blood collection in Kuching District has shown an increase of three per cent against that registered in 2017.
“Collection from female donors has increased by 10.7 per cent, while collection from new blood donors has shown an 11 per cent increase,” said Malaysian Red Crescent (MRC) Kuching District Blood Donors Recruitment Services sub-committee chairman John Jong.
He said this in his speech during the MRC Kuching District Blood Donor Prize-Giving Ceremony 2019 held at Crown Towers here yesterday.
He said last year, a total of 22,911 pints of blood was donated — 16,555 pints from male donors and 6,356 from female donors.
“Today (yesterday) we are here to present awards to about 250 blood donors who have unselfishly donated an accumulated total of 50 pints onwards to 160 pints,” remarked Jong.
He said MRC Kuching District had won four out of five national prizes last year — district with the highest collection of blood, non-governmental organisation (NGO) with the highest donation of blood, individual with the highest donation of blood and the highest collection of blood on World Blood Donor Day.
MRC Kuching District chairman Datuk Dr Abang Abdul Rauf Abang Zain in his speech stressed that a sincere volunteering spirit is needed when it comes to donating blood.
“We should cultivate this volunteering spirit in the community,” he urged, adding that the younger generation should also be guided and trained.
During the ceremony, besides the awards to the blood donors, ten challenge trophies were also presented to last year’s winning associations.
Sopran Mohamad, 46, a factory worker at F&N and one of the highest donors with an accumulated 150 pints of blood donated, told reporters that his uncle had encouraged him to donate blood.
“He told me that it is good to donate blood as this would help a lot of people,” he said.
He explained that the 150 pints of blood donated had been accumulated since he began donating in 1996, adding that he donates about four times annually.
“I want to help those who need blood. I also encourage my friends and relatives to donate blood if they are willing,” Sopran remarked.
He said he had responded to emergency requests for blood donations at hospitals numerous times before, often during festive seasons such as Hari Raya.
“There was one case where a child needed blood as he had leukemia and I answered the call to come forward to help,” he recalled.
Also present at the prize-giving ceremony were MRC Kuching District advisor Datuk Abang Abdul Karim Tun Datuk Abang Openg, MRC Kuching District deputy chairman Dr Chou Chii Ming and MRC Sarawak director Chai King Sing.
