A single bag of blood may seem small, but the system that ensures its\navailability at the right moment is a massive undertaking.<\/p>\n
Blood is rarely seen in hospital waiting rooms. However, when stocks\nrun empty during a crisis, the impact is felt far more rapidly than with\nother healthcare services. Behind every bag of blood lies a long chain\nof service, ranging from donors dedicating their time and officers\nchecking eligibility, to laboratory testing, processing, storage, and\ndistribution systems that ensure blood reaches patients safely.<\/p>\n
Therefore, the success of blood donation cannot be measured solely by\nthe number of people arriving to donate. More important indicators\ninclude public awareness regarding regular and voluntary donation, the\navailability of stocks that meet specific needs, the ease of finding\nrare blood types, and the system\u2019s ability to maintain supply continuity\nwithout wastage.<\/p>\n
The city of Surabaya, East Java, provides an interesting illustration\nof this issue. In commemoration of the 81st Anniversary of the\nIndonesian Red Cross (PMI) on 17 September 2026, the Surabaya City\nGovernment, alongside the Surabaya PMI, presented awards to 425\nvoluntary blood donors who have reached the milestone of 50\ndonations.<\/p>\n
Of these award recipients, 397 were men and 28 were women. The Gubeng\ndistrict recorded the highest number of recipients with 29 individuals.\nNotably, two recipients were identified as having Rhesus-negative blood\ntypes.<\/p>\n
The significance of the 50-donation figure lies beyond the award\nitself; it demonstrates that blood donation can evolve into a habit\nrather than a one-off action.<\/p>\n
Maintaining Balance<\/strong><\/p>\n PMI Surabaya serves an average of approximately 12,000 donors every\nmonth, a figure adjusted to meet the needs of hospitals in Surabaya. PMI\ndoes not merely pursue the highest number of donors, as an oversupply at\ncertain times does not automatically indicate a better-functioning\nsystem. This is where blood donation becomes more complex. Blood has a\nlimited shelf life. The World Health Organisation explains that\ndifferent blood components have different storage durations. For\ninstance, platelets expire much faster than red blood cells, while\nfrozen plasma can be stored longer. This means blood is not a commodity\nthat can be collected in unlimited quantities and stored\nindefinitely.<\/p>\n Consequently, the concept of blood sufficiency should not be\nunderstood as a warehouse that is always full. What is required is a\nbalance between supply and demand, between blood types and patient\nneeds, and between regular donors and emergency requirements.<\/p>\n Indonesia\u2019s current condition highlights the importance of this\nbalance. The Ministry of Health states that Indonesia\u2019s ideal blood\nrequirement is approximately 5.6 million bags per year, assuming a need\nof two per cent of the population. In 2025, availability was only around\n4.4 million bags, leaving a deficit of approximately 1.2 million bags.\nNationally, this shows that blood availability is not a problem solved\nsimply because donor turnout is high in a particular city.<\/p>\n Surabaya possesses a vital asset in its relatively high level of\ndonor participation. The next challenge is to transform this social\ncapital into an increasingly precise system. The Government and PMI can\nstrengthen the mapping of needs based on blood types and components,\nincluding separating routine needs from emergency requirements. The\nnetwork of Rhesus-negative donors already held by PMI Surabaya serves as\nan example of how data can transform donation from a mass movement into\na targeted response. Specific donors do not need to be called constantly\nbut can be contacted when specific needs arise. Such an approach is\nvital because the success of blood services is not just about quantity,\nbut about timeliness.<\/p>\n Nurturing Donors<\/strong><\/p>\n The 425 citizens who have reached 50 donations convey another equally\nimportant message. A robust blood donation system requires not just\npeople willing to come once, but people who return whenever they are\neligible. Therefore, attention should shift from merely seeking new\ndonors to nurturing the journey of an existing donor.<\/p>\n First-time donors need easily understandable information regarding\nthe donation stages, health requirements, the next donation interval,\nand the social benefits of their consistency. After the first donation,\ncommunication is needed to maintain a connection without making the\npublic feel they are only sought after when stocks are low.<\/p>\n This approach aligns with national blood service principles.\nGovernment Regulation Number 28 of 2024 classifies blood services as a\nhealth effort for humanitarian purposes and regulates its management\nthrough planning, mobilisation, preservation of donors, selection,\ncollection, testing, processing, storage, and distribution.<\/p>\n Within this framework, blood donation should be viewed as a cycle,\nnot an event. Surabaya has significant potential to develop this cycle\nthrough universities, schools, offices, communities, industrial areas,\nplaces of worship, and social groups. Reaching the younger generation is\ncrucial, not just because of their large numbers, but because they\nrepresent the future foundation of long-term donors.<\/p>\n In several other regions, there is a growing push for the younger\ngeneration to make blood donation a habit. PMI Sumedang, for example,\nreported an increase in youth participation in early 2026. In Surabaya,\nthis approach can be strengthened with simple technology. Donors could\nhave digital donation histories, schedule reminders, information on the\nnearest service locations, and specific notifications for blood types\ncurrently in high demand. In this context, technology is not a\nreplacement for the spirit of humanity, but a tool to maintain that\nspirit.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-blood-that-binds-a-city-1789697091",
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