No acute shortage of blood supply, but public can still donate
CORONAVIRUS | The Health Ministry has denied that its blood bank is facing an acute shortage of blood supply.
According to Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, there is no high demand for blood supply at the moment as elective operations have been cancelled to make way for preparations to face Covid-19.
CORONAVIRUS | The Health Ministry has denied that its blood bank is facing an acute shortage of blood supply.
According to Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, there is no high demand for blood supply at the moment as elective operations have been cancelled to make way for preparations to face Covid-19.
"So far, we do not have an acute shortage, as operations have been cancelled and there are less motor vehicle accidents," he told Malaysiakini when contacted today.
Noor Hisham was responding to a Chinese daily report today, which claimed that the Tuanku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (HTAR) in Klang is facing a shortage of blood supply.
According to the news report, HTAR's blood collection has allegedly dropped by 70 percent due to many blood donation campaigns cancelled during the movement control order (MCO) period.
The report quoted a doctor as saying the hospital needed an average of 150 to 200 packs of blood daily, but now they only managed to collect 50 to 80 packs a day.
Noor Hisham said that while demand for blood is currently low, all of its blood collection centres are still open to receive donation.
Two days ago, Noor Hisham has also responded to a question during a Covid-19 press conference in Putrajaya, saying that they are still continuing blood donation drives.
He had said then that there was some shortage of supply in the blood bank, but it was not a critical issue because hospitals are not using much during the outbreak.
"But we are still looking at how we can continue the blood donation campaign.
"Maybe we will start a blood collection service at the door, where donors can contact our hotline, and arrange an appointment for blood bank officers to go to their place," he said on Tuesday.
Noor Hisham said those who wish to donate also can go to the nearest hospital during the MCO.
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