He said the blood stock was feared to decline in the third and fourth weeks of the fasting month because many people would put off donating their blood.
"In the first and second week of the fasting month blood stock is still secured and can meet the needs of the community but it will decline in the third and fourth week," Narun Najib said.
The depletion of blood stock in the month of Ramadan always happens every year when the people are reluctant to donate their blood because they fear it will disrupt their fasting activity.
But in reality, he said there was no problem in donating blood during the fasting month because it could conducted either in the morning or evening.
Narun said the West Jakarta chapter of PMI has taken an anticipatory measure to overcome blood scarcity by calling on the community to donate their blood in the evening after breaking their fast.
"Thus after Tarawih evening prayers during the fasting month blood can be donated because PMI central office is open 24 hours," Narun said.
He denied the perception of some people that donating blood would make them unstable and weak when fasting.
But he said that in reality blood donation has many advantages besides giving a wonderful feeling of saving someone`s life.
Most of the time blood donation is an act of charity, though sometimes many people donate blood for money and other incentives.
The donated blood is stored in blood banks, to be subsequently used for transfusion.
(Uu.O001/H-NG)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
