During the fasting month the number of blood donors usually decreases because people think that donating blood during the holy month of Ramadan will disrupt their fast.
But Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) branches across the country will make every effort to step up the collection of blood from donors in anticipation of a possible blood shortage during the fasting month this year.
In Malang district, East Java, PMI has set itself a target of collecting at least 1,200 blood pouches during this year`s Ramadan fasting month.
"Last year the Malang PMI office got 1,100 blood bags from blood donors during the fasting month but this year we have a target to obtain at least 1,200 bags," local PMI spokesman Sugeng Prayitno said in Malang on Wednesday.
To reach the target, Sugeng said PMI would stage various blood donor drives around the clock by involving students in Malang district.
"We are going to stage blood donor drives across the district, targeting the productive age group between 25 to 35 years with the involvement of high school and college students, village heads, and village midwives," Sugeng said.
He explained that the total target number of blood donors in 2011 was expected to reach 13,000 people, or to increase by 1,000 from 12,000 the year before.
Sugeng said the objective of obtaining 1,200 blood bags during the Ramadan fasting month was to meet the blood demand of Ngudi Waluyo hospital in Blitar city.
But he said the blood demand at Panti Nirmala hospital in Malang city was around 60 to 70 pouches per month.
"The total of permanent blood donors for PMI in Malang district is 4,000 people, and as of July this year we still have around 3,000 donors," Sugeng said.
Meanwhile in Klaten, Central Java, the local PMI is currently speeding up the collection of blood stocks through a mass blood donor activity to make it sufficient during the fasting month.
Klaten PMI office spokesman Pramono said on Wednesday that there was a shortage of blood stock during the fasting month, therefore this year they made every effort to anticipate it.
"Two wees before and after the fasting month from year to year we used to have blood shortage, but this year we have anticipated it by encouraging as many people as possible to donate their blood," Pramono said.
He said PMI would still conduct 10 blood donor activities at several sub-districts in Klaten to make the blood stocks sufficient during the fasting month.
"We are grateful that the people here have a high enthusiasm to donate their blood. At a result, today we have collected 160 blood bags from the mass donor activity," Pramono said.
Besides, the Indonesian Red Cross has also planned to launch 100 blood donation ambulances in the coming months to support blood donation activities across the country.
PMI Chairman Jusuf Kalla said here recently that ambulances would be provided to assist the blood donation program of which has collected 3 million blood pouches.
"At present we have only 20 units of blood donation ambulances but in the next 7 months we want to have a total of 100 units," Kalla said, hoping that with those cars PMI would have sufficient blood supply in an emergency situation.
Meanwhile, PMI and PT Ocean Media Link have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the establishment of blood pouch factories in Indonesia.
Kalla said the construction of blood pouch factories in and around Jakarta (Jabodetabek) would cost around Rp35 billion and may be completed in one year.
"So far we have been importing blood pouches but when the factory is completed we will stop importing them," Kalla said.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), the ideal amount of blood supply in a country should be 2 percent of its total population.
To increase the capacity of blood stock set by WHO, PMI has made every effort to improve the quality of its services at the blood donor centers, scattered around 200 districts/cities.
Besides, PMI also has blood donor centers at various shopping malls and university campuses to reach the people who want to donate their blood.
It is because the PMI chairman has repeatedly emphasized the importance of achieving blood stock in accordance with WHO standard.
As of early January 2011, PMI has set up 8 blood donor centers at several shopping malls and universities, such as Senayan City in Jakarta, Tanah Abang market in Jakarta, University of Trisakti in Jakarta, Metropolitan Mall in Bekasi, Hasanuddin University in Makassar, Ratu Indah Mall in Makassar, Tunjungan Plaza in Surabaya, and Olympic Garden Mall in Malang, East Java.
"Besides university campuses, a shopping mall is visited by around 20,000 people every day, and if 100 of them donate their blood per day, then the national blood needs can be fulfilled," Kalla said.
Therefore he expressed hope that blood donor activity could be made as part of the lifestyle to meet the blood demand during the fasting month. (*)
Reporter: Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Otniel Tamindael
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
