KOTA KINABALU: Hospitals in Sabah require around 100,000 pints of blood annually for patients but blood donations are not able to match the need, says chief political secretary to the Chief Minister Datuk Azrul Ibrahim.
He said for 2025, hospitals only managed to collect about 70,000 units of blood, about 30,000 units short.
"This issue must be addressed with the help from government and private sector through continued blood donations," he said after officiating the World Blood Donation Day here on Monday (July 29).
He urged Sabahans to come out and donate blood, saying this is a meaningful and life-saving act.
"I understand there are many challenges for donors, especially in not easily accessible areas," he said.
He said this is why hospitals have outreach programmes and awareness campaigns where health personnel got o the ground to fulfil the requirement.
Azrul also urged others to conduct similar programmes regularly to help stabilise the supply in blood banks.
He said interested parties can work with hospitals, government agencies or others to organise blood donation campaigns places in malls and other places where people tend to go.
He said donating blood not only save lives but also helps the healthcare system in Sabah.
Later in the event, he congratulated the Queen Elizabeth Hospital II for successfully collecting about 200 pints of blood.
