PMI told to improve blood quality control

JAKARTA (JP): Deputy Governor for Social Affairs R.S. Museno reminded the Jakarta branch of the Indonesian Red Cross to intensify control on the quality of blood from donors.

Museno said yesterday that intensification of control is badly needed due to many diseases, including HIV, which can infect human beings through blood transfusions.

"The Red Cross should be more aware of controlling the quality of blood donated, so that people seeking transfusions from its blood bank will not be worried," Museno said in a ceremony giving special recognition to 90 people, who have donated their blood 75 times.

He said it is important to convince Jakartans that the blood provided by the Red Cross is safe and will not infect people who have blood transfusions.

Chairman of the Red Cross, Muhammad Buang, said that the Red Cross is testing all blood from donors to detect any viruses. The tests are conducted by local doctors, with the assistance of foreign experts to guarantee the tests' validity.

"Currently, we are testing donated blood to detect whether it is contaminated with HIV and Hepatitis B viruses, or syphilis. I guarantee that the Red Cross is only providing uncontaminated blood," Muhammad said.

He added that when a test finds that donated blood contains HIV, the Red Cross reports it to the Ministry of Health.

Museno also urged the Red Cross to intensify its efforts in recruiting new blood donors in Jakarta because the current number of donors is not adequate in comparison to the size of the population.

"There are only about two million donors in the city, while the population reaches over eight million," he said.

Museno urged regular donors to invite members of their family and friends to follow their example.

Muhammad admitted that the existing number of donors is not adequate to meet blood demand in the city.

He said that actually there were only 385,095 blood donors in the city in 1993 and the number rose to 423,257 donors last year. (yns)