Sabah Sends Sos Over Depleting Blood Supplies

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The fall in the number of blood donations is expected to last until the Harvest Festival, says state minister Masidi Manjun.KOTA KINABALU: The state government has called on Sabahans to donate blood at their respective district blood banks after a drastic drop in supplies statewide.
State local government and housing minister Masidi Manjun made the special mention in his daily Covid-19 statement today, after the third wave of Covid-19 cases hindered blood donation drives throughout the state.
He said the situation is expected to worsen during the fasting month and continue up to the Harvest Festival at the end of this month.
Although hospitals in Sabah have taken precautionary measures, he said the imposition of the various movement control orders have subsequently affected existing supplies.
“It is estimated that the blood stocks this year will drop as much as 20% following the cancellation of over 200 blood donation campaigns which had initially targeted to collect some 6,000 blood supplies.
“This depletion must be overcome immediately so that the supplies for patients will not reach a critical level,” he said.
Masidi said the Sabah medical transfusion services have set a weekly collection target of 1,800 supplies in order to meet demands and ensure the blood supply level is within the safe level.
“Therefore, the state government urges all the people to go and donate by contacting the nearest blood bank,” he said.
Covid-19 infections were back to double-digit figures today, with 63 cases reported from 153 yesterday.
Sabah now has 58,796 cumulative cases, with 574 patients still receiving treatment at hospitals or low-risk treatment centres. - FMT

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