PPP supporters donate blood

PPP supporters donate blood

JAKARTA (JP): Fifty members and supporters of the United
Development Party (PPP) donated blood Monday to help the city's
dengue fever patients.

Organizers said they were disappointed with the drive because
the 17-member Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) medical team refused to
take blood after 1 p.m., leaving 200 people willing to donate
blood that day without the means to do so.

"We had told potential donors that donation hours would run
until late in the afternoon but, unexpectedly, PMI workers would
not take blood after 1 p.m.," said Hisbyah, deputy chairman of
the PPP city chapter.

In response to the PPP's complaint, PMI officials said they
could not keep fresh blood for more than six hours because it
would begin to decompose, Antara reported.

The blood drive, held in Tebet, South Jakarta, began at 10
a.m. (pan)