Blood donations leap 70% after appeal, but more blood still needed: HSA

SINGAPORE — They were in a snaking queue but they were not waiting to get their hands on stocks of surgical masks. Rather, they were donors waiting to boost the stocks at Singapore’s blood banks and pumped in 70 per cent more blood than the banks normally receive in a three-day stretch.

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) — which runs Singapore’s blood banks — told TODAY that it collected more than 1,900 “whole blood” donations, about 70 per cent more than a typical weekend-and-Monday collection from last Saturday (Feb 15) to Monday.

Whole blood, the most common type of blood donated, refers to blood in its complete form that is not separated into its various parts.

HSA said that this has brought the national blood stocks to above six days’ supply, but stressed that more blood is still needed.

It is important to maintain at least six days of blood stock at all times for daily transfusion needs and bleeding emergencies.

TODAY first reported on the appeal for blood donation last Friday as stocks across some blood types sank to critically low levels amid the Covid-19 outbreak.  

After the report was published, donors fanned out to Singapore’s four blood banks, where there have been queues of people waiting to give blood.

The appeal also prompted government leaders — including Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth — to give blood and rally Singaporeans to do their part.

BLOOD BANKS STILL RUNNING SHORT 

Even with the overwhelming public response, the blood banks are still running short.

HSA said that in the next two to four weeks, it needs 1,500 group O blood donors, 750 group A donors and 750 group B donors to return blood stocks to healthy levels.

“As blood has a short shelf life of six weeks, regular donations are needed to ensure that we have sufficient blood to meet patients’ needs,” it added.

“Therefore, we urge blood donors to make an appointment whenever they are due for donations.”

On Wednesday, the website of the Singapore Red Cross showed stocks for the O+, A-, AB- and B+ blood types remained at “critical” levels.

Those for O-, A+ and B- were “low”, and supply of the AB+ blood type was “healthy”.

When blood stocks are at the critical level, donors are urgently needed and urged to donate on the same day. For blood types where stocks are low, donors are encouraged to donate within the week.

The low blood supply has not escaped the attention of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Urging donors on Wednesday to continue donating, Mr Lee thanked those who gave blood even during the Covid-19 outbreak, which has sickened more than 80 people here.

‘IT’S A HEARTWARMING FEELING’

On Monday afternoon, TODAY saw a long queue of donors at HSA’s blood bank in Dhoby Ghaut, with more than 30 people waiting inside to give blood.

As there was little standing room left in the blood bank, 12 people had to stand outside.

Donors, many of whom took time off from work, had to spend two-and-a-half hours in the blood bank, instead of the usual 30 to 45 minutes, but this did not put them off.

Lawyer Stephanie de Souza, 28, said: “It shows that people do respond (to appeals for blood) and it’s nice. It’s a heartwarming feeling.”

Information technology professional David Tan, 35, was willing to wait longer than usual for his turn. “I already came here, so I will just donate.”

Polytechnic lecturer Larry Loh, 43, felt that it was important to do his part for those in need of blood.

Housewife Lina Tay, 47, who made her last donation decades ago when she was in junior college, now plans to donate regularly, since the blood supply is low. “It’s not very difficult,” she said. 

For information on where to go for blood donation and the blood banks' opening hours, go to the HSA website or the Singapore Red Cross website.