Idul Fitri exodus affects capital's blood supply
<p>Idul Fitri exodus affects capital's blood supply</p><p>Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta</p><p> 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.</p><p>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.</p><p>"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.</p><p>An estimated 2.5 million Jakartans are expected to leave for
their hometowns to celebrate the Idul Fitri, Christmas and New
Year holidays.</p><p>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.</p><p>"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."</p><p>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.</p><p>Within three weeks, the unit collected 2,803 bags of whole
bloods, 609 bags of thrombocyte or blood platelet, and blood
components.</p><p>As of Thursday, there was only 289 bags of whole bloods and
8,679 bags of blood components in stock.</p><p>Around 350 bags of whole blood and 800 bags of blood
components are needed for use by the capital daily.</p><p>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.</p><p>"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.</p><p>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.</p><p>"We can only suggest people not to use such practices," she
added.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>"The charge is usually set by the hospital, we are only the
reference from the hospital," an official at the unit counter
said.</p>
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.</p><p>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.</p><p>"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.</p><p>An estimated 2.5 million Jakartans are expected to leave for
their hometowns to celebrate the Idul Fitri, Christmas and New
Year holidays.</p><p>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.</p><p>"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."</p><p>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.</p><p>Within three weeks, the unit collected 2,803 bags of whole
bloods, 609 bags of thrombocyte or blood platelet, and blood
components.</p><p>As of Thursday, there was only 289 bags of whole bloods and
8,679 bags of blood components in stock.</p><p>Around 350 bags of whole blood and 800 bags of blood
components are needed for use by the capital daily.</p><p>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.</p><p>"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.</p><p>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.</p><p>"We can only suggest people not to use such practices," she
added.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>"The charge is usually set by the hospital, we are only the
reference from the hospital," an official at the unit counter
said.</p>