I would like to encourage public, the COVID-19 survivors, to be able to donate their blood and convalescent plasma for people, who urgently need them.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria made an earnest appeal to Jakartans, especially those who survived COVID-19, to readily come forward to become convalescent plasma donors amid the pandemic.

“I would like to encourage the public, the COVID-19 survivors, to be able to donate their blood and convalescent plasma for people, who urgently need them,” Patria stated during his visit to a blood and convalescent plasma donation drive organized by the Jakarta National Democratic (Nasdem) party youth guard along with the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) here on Friday.

Convalescent plasma is urgently required amid the COVID-19 pandemic situation currently, especially for those battling the disease, he emphasized.

“We know that convalescent plasma is urgently required to help boost the antibodies of COVID-19 sufferers,” he pointed out.

Patria also lauded the blood and plasma convalescent drive on August 13-14, targeting 50 donors per day.

Furthermore, the PMI recorded a decline in the number of blood donors during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Patria.

“I laud this activity, with the hopes that it can be sustainably improved and drive other organizations to assist the PMI. We know that the PMI can gather one thousand donors on a regular basis. However, during this COVID-19 pandemic, it could only get 100 to 200 donors, so we need to help boost that figure,” he affirmed.

Related news: Demand for convalescent plasma in South Sumatra rises
Related news: Campaign to raise awareness of convalescent plasma's benefits needed

Translator: Yogi Rachman, Juwita Trisna R
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2021