Idul Fitri exodus affects capital's blood supply

Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The annual holiday exodus that makes this bustling capital just a little bit quieter has seriously impacted the blood supply at the Jakarta's Indonesian Red-Cross (PMI) office, which is experiencing a drop of almost 50 percent in donors.

In fact, the office, which accommodates patient referrals from a number of city hospitals, could run out of its blood supply altogether if things do not improve soon, say PMI workers. The group relies almost exclusively on volunteers to donate blood.

"During these unusual days, we suggest that patients bring families and relatives to be blood donors for them, due to the blood scarcity," Sukantini, head of the Jakarta PMI office told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

An estimated 2.5 million Jakartans are expected to leave for their hometowns to celebrate the Idul Fitri, Christmas and New Year holidays.

In normal times the office, located on Jl. Kramat Raya, Central Jakarta, receives around 250 to 300 donor volunteers daily. But since the start of the fasting month on Nov. 17, the number has dwindled to 126 people per day.

"It's almost a 50 percent drop in the blood donor visits," she said. "Maybe it's caused by the exodus; we have anticipated that we will run out of blood supply."

As in previous years, during preparation to the long holidays, three weeks before the fasting month, the blood transfusion unit had deployed mobile transfusion minibuses to visit government offices and private institutions in search of blood donors.

Within three weeks, the unit collected 2,803 bags of whole bloods, 609 bags of thrombocyte or blood platelet, and blood components.

As of Thursday, there was only 289 bags of whole bloods and 8,679 bags of blood components in stock.

Around 350 bags of whole blood and 800 bags of blood components are needed for use by the capital daily.

While the unit was quiet on Thursday, many people, locally known as calo darah, or blood scalpers, were seen using the opportunity by selling their bloods to those who needed it.

"My blood is paid Rp 100,000 and you still can bargain," a man who asked not to be named said. He added his blood type was A and he was healthy.

When asked about the operating blood scalpers in the unit compound, Sukantini replied emphatically that "it has nothing to do with PMI at all -- that's not our responsibility.

"We can only suggest people not to use such practices," she added.

More than 300 people have become regular blood donors at the unit. They normally visit the unit once every three months to donate their blood.

Usually people would go to the blood transfusion unit bringing along the blood sample and a request form issued by the hospitals -- all are served without charges.

"The charge is usually set by the hospital, we are only the reference from the hospital," an official at the unit counter said.