Joint drive at UPMKB highlights need to have more young blood donors

BINTULU (July 2): The Putra Health @ World Blood Donor Day 2024 Bintulu was successfully held at the Sri Kenyalang Hall of Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Campus (UPMKB) recently, in conjunction with the World Blood Donor Day celebration.

Themed ‘The Greatest Wealth is Health’, the programme was jointly organised by Hospital Bintulu’s Department of Transfusion Medicine and Blood Bank, the Sports and Recreation Secretariat of Sri Rajang College Representative Council, as well as UPMKB Health Centre.

UPMKB director Prof Dr Shahrul Razid Sarbini officiated at the event, which was also attended by Bintulu Hospital director Dr Suzalinna Sulaiman and Malaysian Red Crescent (MRC) Bintulu Chapter chairman Lai Chee Hua.

According to Dr Shahrul Razid, UPMKB has consistently held mobile blood donation drives and ‘group donations’ to the Bintulu Hospital blood bank.

“A total of 237 units of blood bags were successfully donated via UPMKB’s blood donation and group donation campaigns throughout 2023.

“Well done and congratulations to UPMKB students and staff who are involved in the programmes,” he said, adding that the younger generation should donate blood more consistently.

Meanwhile, Dr Suzalinna said for now, 2.3 per cent of the total population in Malaysia are blood donors.

“This figure is much lower than the international standard of five per cent.

“The current blood donors mainly consist of middle-aged people.

“This number will decrease due to ageing and other factors if there is less involvement from the younger generation.

“Therefore, the Health Ministry is targeting young people between the ages of 17 and 24 to become new blood donors,” she said.

In this regard, Dr Suzalinna said one of the efforts would be to work closely with educational institutions in order to reach out to the younger generation and raise awareness of the importance of donating blood.

“One bag of blood can save three lives.

“The blood donated in Bintulu is not only provided to patients in Bintulu Hospital, but also patients in private hospitals and in the neighbouring Sabah,” she said.

Lai, meanwhile, highlighted the importance of blood transfusions and components in saving the lives of millions of patients every year.

He added that blood transfusion treatment played a vital role in treating severe bleeding cases as well as saving the lives of mothers and children during childbirth.

Adding on, he said continuous blood donation was necessary to ensure the current supply would be sufficient and at a safe level for utilisation.

“One of the goals of this programme is to provide exposure to the younger generation about the importance of participating in community service activities, with blood donation activities being the best example.

“Therefore, I strongly call upon the younger generation to get involved either as blood donors or in mobile blood donation campaigns,” he said.