Number of blood donors drops

SURABAYA, East Java: The number of people donating blood at the Indonesian Red Cross office here has dropped by 65 percent in the first week of the fasting month, Antara reported yesterday.

"On normal days, there can be between 200 and 300 donors per day. But now there are only about 125 per day," said Agung, the head of the office's service administration section.

"Moslems should not refrain from donating blood during fasting, because the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) allows it," he said, referring to one of the country's authoritative ulema councils. (aan)