PMI obtains blood bag donation form Japanese firm

JAKARTA (JP): Japanese Terumo Corporation gave a donation worth Rp 132 million (US$14,700) to the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) on Friday to assist its blood transfusion services.

The donation, comprising 5,604 blood bags, was given in a ceremony at PMI headquarters on Jl. Gatot Subroto, South Jakarta.

Present at the ceremony were PMI treasurer Widarsadipradja, Terumo's senior regional manager for the Asia Pacific region Masao Ito, and Ari Sutantio, the company's general manager for Indonesia.

The donation was intended to replace PMI equipment, which were destroyed in a fire at its blood transfusion unit building on Jl. Joe in Lenteng Agung, South Jakarta, on Jan. 4.

The fire damaged other laboratory equipment belonging to PMI, causing losses amounting to about Rp 31 billion (US$3.5 million).

Widarsadipradja welcomed the donation, saying PMI badly needed such assistance to overcome difficulties in the running of its operations.

"The skyrocketing price of blood bags, due to the drop of the rupiah, further burdens us," he said.

He explained that the government had subsidized PMI's blood bag imports by providing an exchange rate of Rp 5,000 per U.S. dollar. One dollar is currently worth Rp 9,000.

"But, the subsidy is still far from enough, as we have to meet the operational costs by using our own money," he said, adding that PMI relied for its funding on donations from the public -- both individuals and companies.

Widarsadipradja said PMI needed about 1.6 million blood bags per year.

Terumo Corporation, a Tokyo-based multinational corporation, produces health devices such as blood bags, electronic medical products and hypodermic needles. (01)