Aceh falls short of blood stock

Aceh falls short of blood stock

BANDA ACEH, Aceh: The Indonesian Red Cross office in conflict- torn Aceh has reported a shortage of fresh blood stocks over the past few months due to the decline in the number of donors.

Head of the office Sanusi Maha told Antara on Thursday the demand for blood soared to 30 pouches per day as clashes between security troops and separatist rebels intensified. The office, however, only had between 20 and 25 pouches in stock.

To cope with the deficit, the office has always asked relatives or close friends to donate their blood for patients, who are mostly victims of the ongoing war between Jakarta and the Acehnese.

The office has also sought help from counterparts in provinces or towns which are not affected by the conflict, which has intensified since 1976, after centuries of independence wars fought by the Acehnese against various invaders including the Dutch and the Javanese. -- Antara