Red Cross may face shortage of blood<\/p>\n
Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Jakarta chapter of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) could face
\na shortage of blood supply due to the sharp drop in the number of
\nblood donors during Ramadhan, while the situation could get
\nworse, due to the exodus of residents heading to their hometowns
\nto celebrate Idul Fitri.<\/p>\n
Before Ramadhan, about 300 people donated their blood at PMI
\nJakarta daily, but the number has now decreased to 100.<\/p>\n
The annual exodus will apparently aggravate the situation as
\nit is estimated that about 2 million people will leave Jakarta to
\ncelebrate the Idul Fitri holiday with their families.<\/p>\n
\"Many Muslim donors believe that contributing blood during
\nRamadhan can affect their stamina, which is untrue,\" spokesman of
\nPMI Jakarta Harry Harsono told The Jakarta Post on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"It's a myth that giving away your blood can affect our
\nstamina,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He claimed that PMI Jakarta still had an adequate blood
\nsupply, but called upon people who needed blood to bring donors
\nwith them to avoid a shortage in blood supply.<\/p>\n
Harry said that replacement donors did not necessarily have to
\nbe of the same blood group as those needing blood transfusions.<\/p>\n
Even though Harry denied any shortage of blood supply, a
\ndesperate woman called radio Elshinta on Sunday afternoon, saying
\nthat she was unable to obtain blood for her brother, who had been
\nhospitalized at Mintoharjo Navy Hospital, Central Jakarta, since
\nThursday after being injured in a traffic accident.<\/p>\n
She said both the hospital and PMI Jakarta could not provide
\nblood for her brother, a city bus driver's assistant, who needed
\neight sachets of blood type O.<\/p>\n
Harry told The Jakarta Post that as of Friday, 6,450 sachets
\nof blood were available, comprising 199 of whole blood and 6,251
\nof blood components.<\/p>\n
Last Thursday, 6,539 sachets of blood were available,
\ncomprising 294 of whole blood and 6,245 of blood components.<\/p>\n
Harry said PMI Jakarta chapter had made several attempts to
\nboost blood donations by intensifying mass blood donations at a
\nvariety of locations, including companies, as well as approaching
\ncongregations of different religions to donate blood before the
\nstart of Ramadhan.<\/p>\n
\"The response was good but the results was still far from
\nadequate to maintain our supply at a safe level,\" he said.<\/p>\n
PMI charges Rp 41,000 (US$4.6) per sachet to state hospitals
\nand Rp 123,000 to private hospitals to cover operational costs.<\/p>\n
\"We do not sell the blood, however. Charges are made only to
\ncover our operational and equipment costs. Some of the charges
\nare also to cover staff salaries,\" said Harry.<\/p>\n
\"We also do not take cash from patients (directly). But I know
\nthat some hospitals charge (patients) more than the operational
\ncost.\"<\/p>\n
Harry expected that during the Idul Fitri holiday most of
\nthe blood would be used by mothers delivering babies and victims
\nof traffic accidents, about 45 percent and 30 percent
\nrespectively.<\/p>\n
During the holiday season, PMI Jakarta chapter deploys its
\nambulances and volunteers at several locations, including bus
\nterminals and railway stations in the city.<\/p>\n
\"We will station 250 volunteers, drawn from members of the
\nVolunteer Corps (KSR) and the Junior Red Cross (PMR),\"said Harry.<\/p>\n
The ambulances and volunteers are deployed from one week
\nbefore Idul Fitri to one week afterwards.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/red-cross-may-face-shortage-of-blood-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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