Blood donation to Red Cross a worthwhile reason to leave home

Staying at home is, on some level, a very wise idea of course, but it has caused worry for the Thai Red Cross Society, as the number of people coming to donate blood at its National Blood Centre has significantly diminished over the past few months, sending it into a blood-shortage crisis.

Subsequently, this badly affects the lives of a large number of patients who are waiting for a blood transfusion at many hospitals across the country.

According to the latest data revealed by the centre, the overall figure of blood units it has acquired through donation is far less than this month’s actual requirement, and it needs many thousands of donors to fill the blood stock.

That’s why the centre is calling for all healthy persons aged between 17-70 to come and donate blood at the centre or, alternatively, at the mobile units that are sent out to collect blood at many venues in Bangkok.

To help protect blood recipients, however, the centre requests that all interested donors screen themselves to make sure they haven’t been at risk of contracting the new coronavirus before they come to donate blood.

Also, they should refrain from blood donation for at least four months if they recently stayed in or travelled from countries where the coronavirus has spread.

The blood donation process usually takes around 15 minutes and 350-450cc of blood will be collected from each donor, depending on their weight. To prepare yourself for the donation, visit bit.ly/2W1txy3.

The Thai Red Cross National Blood Centre is located on Henri Dunant Road and is open daily from 7.30am to 7.30pm on weekdays, and 8.30am to 3.30pm on weekends. For the mobile blood units schedule, visit bit.ly/2wAlbD0.

Call 02-256-4300, 02-256-1637 ext 1760/1.