Call for regional blood centre in Sarawak

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Dr Sim (third left) hands out the certificate of appreciation to Ismail Brahim, who have donated 125 pints. — Photos by Kong Jun Liung.

Dr Sim (third left) hands out the certificate of appreciation to Ismail Brahim, who have donated 125 pints. — Photos by Kong Jun Liung.

KUCHING: Sarawak needs its own regional blood centre as it had recorded the biggest number of donors in the country in the past 14 years.

According to Local Government Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, the availability of such a centre will facilitate better coordination in creating blood products with maximum usage and better shelf life.

“Red blood is only good for one week,” he said at the Malaysian Red Crescent (MRC) Kuching Chapter Blood Donors Awards Presentation 2016 here yesterday.

Dr Sim said he would raise the matter with the Health Ministry and the chief minister.

“We need every pint that you have donated, and it costs a lot of money for the government to process it. We have to screen it for HIV and hepatitis and separate the red and white cells from the plasma. We have not fully capitalised on this because we don’t have a very good regional facility. If we did, we would turn some of the blood cells into dry powder so that it can be kept longer.”

Dr Sim represented Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem at the event, which served to recognise the most prolific individual donors as well as organisations that took on blood drive campaigns as part of their community services.

The ceremony was also attended by MRC Kuching chairman Datuk Dr Abang Abdul Rauf Abang Zain, and Blood Donors Recruitment Services Sub-Committee chairman John Jong.

In his speech, Abang Rauf said his side was pleased to report an increase in the number of female donors – breaking the 5,000 mark last year.

A total of 2,800 individuals who donated a minimum of five pints last year were honoured, although only 360 attended the ceremony held on the ninth floor of Crown Towers here yesterday.

There were also 10 challenge trophies handed out to various organisations.

The Federation of Kuching and Samarahan Divisions Chinese Association – Youth Section took home three trophies for most pints collected, namely the Datuk Amar Puan Sri Dr Laila Taib Challenge Trophy for women donors (713 pints), GOC Wilayah II Trophy (3,368 pints), and the Tei Aik Challenge Trophy – Group from Organisation/Club/Association (3,368 pints).

The Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) also claimed three trophies – the Cho Bok Challenge Trophy – group from institution of higher learning/school (1,044 pints), the Viagulam Lazaramah Challenge Trophy for first time donors (475 pints), and the Datuk Fatimah Abdullah Challenge Trophy for annual highest number of successful new women blood donors of any organisation/department/institute of higher learning/corporation (303 pints).

Meanwhile, the Datuk Abang Abdul Karim Tun Datuk Abang Openg Challenge Trophy for group from corporations across Malaysia went to Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), which collected 238 pints.

Taiyo Yuden (S) Sdn Bhd collected 456 pints, which earned it the Dr Abang Abdul Rauf Abang Zain Challenge Trophy for group from Sarawak government department and statutory bodies.

The Armed Forces bagged the Dr Abang Yusof Abang Abdul Razak Challenge Trophy under group from federal government department and statutory bodies, having collected 854 pints.

Liansin Trading Sdn Bhd took the Lam Siong Khan Challenge Trophy under group from corporations within Sarawak, having contributed 543 pints.