NOW that movement restrictions have eased, there has been an increase in the number of blood donors coming forward to help Penang Hospital, compared with the past two years.
Hospital transfusion medicine specialist Dr Anizah Arshad said regular donors had returned but she also hoped more young people would consider donating blood.
“We encourage parents to teach their children about this life-giving gesture,” she said when met during the hospital’s World Blood Donation Day celebration.
Dr Anizah said the hospital had enough stock for now.
“We have been working with 20 groups including non-governmental organisations, private firms and malls in the past three years.
“They will hold blood donation drives for us when we inform them of a need for more stock.”
She said the hospital had a schedule with regular dates to hold drives for its blood bank.
“At any given time, we need to have stock as all the components of the donated blood will expire eventually.
“We have separate donors for platelets (apheresis donors). The blood is passed through an apparatus that separates out one particular constituent and returns the remainder to the donor,” she explained.
At the event, representatives of the 20 groups received tokens of appreciation for their support.
Also present were Penang Hospital deputy directors Dr Ibrahim Tahir Datuk N. Anwar and Dr Wong Khar Ming. - By N. TRISHA