Blood Donation: Give Blood, Give Live.

3 Lunar

EDITORIAL
BOARD

NUR EMMA BATRISYIA MERLISA QAISARA MAS NORZAFIRA ALYA
• Fun Facts • Trivia • Infographic

NAMIEYA RAHAH AYESHA
• Editorial Board • Article

CONTENT

01 EDITORIAL BOARD 04 FUN FACTS

Pictures of all members History of blood donation,
contributing to the magazine unique blood donors.

02 INFOGRAPHIC 05 TRIVIA

Issues related to blood Criteria of blood donors.
donation in Malaysia.

03 ARTICLE 06 ADVERTISMENT

Blood donation process during Contents and creators to
COVID-19. follow on social media for
more information about
health.

ISSUES RELATED TO BLOOD
DONATION IN MALAYSIA

Misconceptions Blood type “A” tends to run short.

about blood donation. Despite about 25% of the population having A blood
type, it often runs short in the blood bank.
Some of the reasons cited by the Registration division head Rosalind Choo said it was
public for not donating blood possible that many A-blood type donors were not
were fear of needles, fear of the aware or were not coming forward to donate.
sight of blood and, surprisingly,
fear of gaining weight. Blood banks need a continuous supply of

donations.

Red blood cells can last 42 days maximum, while platelets can only be
kept for five to seven days. Plasma can be frozen and if kept in the right
conditions, can keep well for years.
The short lifespan of some components is the reason why the blood bank
is constantly in need of supply.

You will be denied from donating Concerns rise as

blood if: Malaysia's blood supply at

You may be denied if you have a history of risk of depleting.
injection drug use or a history of selected sexually
transmitted diseases. You have recent exposure to The country's blood banks are always
or a history of hepatitis, malaria, CJD ( AKA Mad at risk of running low, which could
Cow Disease), babesiosis, and Chagas’ disease. have dire consequences on patients
that are in critical condition.
Ismail Sabri issues call for blood During the Movement Control Order
(MCO), our blood bank stock dropped
donations, says donors are exempted bye 40% because we were unable to
conduct blood donation campaigns,
from MCO travel restrictions and the public also avoided coming to
our blood banks to donate blood.
Ismail Sabri said that the current supply at the
National Blood Centre has decreased by as much as D I D Y0 U KNOW ?
33% since the imposition of the MCO.
The government will allow donors to give blood during 1150 units of blood are
the ongoing movement control order (MCO). Blood needed by 500 patients
donors can now travel to hospitals or health clinics to
donate blood. each week.

TTRRIIVVIIAA

~ multiple
~ high
~ light
~ sleep
~ above
~ mentally
~ operation

CRITERIA TO BE A BLOOD DONOR

-FILL IN THE BLANKS BASED ON THE WORDS GIVEN ABOVE

1. Donor should be in good health, _____ alert and
physically fit.
2. Should eat a _____ lunch before the donation
process.
3. Weighs 45 kilograms and _____.
4. Have more than five hours of _____.
5. Free from any medical problems like ____ blood
pressure, heart disease and diabetes.
6. No ______ within six months of donation.
7. Donor should not be having _____ sex partners.

*ANSWERS IN PAGE 13*

FFUUNN FFAACCTTSS!!

HERE’S A LITTLE-KNOWN FACT..

Blood donation starts in 1665 and the 1st transfusion
of human blood was performed by Dr. Philip Syng
Physik in 1795.

WHATS DOES YOUR BLOOD
TYPE SAYS ABOUT YOU?

A’S AB’S

• Crave order and neatness • Rational and sensible
• Meticulous habits • Make excellent first
• Incredibly self-controlled impressions
• Often have paranormal
B’S abilities

• Make great cooks O’S
• May be poor team players
• Candid, forthright, • Crave power, leadership and success
absentminded and thrive on • Act as jealous guardians at work and
the unusual. in the family
• Are ideal presidents, head of
corporation and captains of sports
teams

PSST! DID YOU KNOW?

In 1818, human-to-human transfusion
was first recorded and it was performed
by James Blundell.

”Because every drop counts”

Blood Donation Process During COVID-19

01 Background

The COVID-19 outbreak, caused by severe
acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2
(SARS-CoV-2), was declared as a pandemic by
the World Health Organization on March 11,
2020. As of 5th of October 2020, there were
more than 35 million of confirmed Covid-19
cases worldwide and 12,813 cumulative
confirmed cases reported in Malaysia. To
combat the Covid-19 transmission in the
community, the Malaysian government had
implemented the Movement Control Order
(MCO) on the 18th of March 2020.

02 Impacts

After the enforcement of movement control
order (MCO), blood supply at the National
Blood Centre and other blood banks in the

country reported a prominent 40 % reduction
in comparison with previous year, from

111,328 bags (Mac-May 2018) to 67,135 bags
(Mac-May 2020). Relaxation measures were

implemented to replace the MCO in May
2020 (Conditional MCO) and June 2020
(Recovery MCO). Subsequently, there was a
rise in blood demand, as elective operations
began to resume and motor-vehicle accidents

raised.

03 Challenges

The challenge in
blood procurement
during the Covid-19
outbreak is not
primarily due to the
SARS-CoV-2 itself, but
the movement
restrictions order and
social distancing rules.

Figure 1, New challenges in blood
transfusion services in COVID-19
era and suggested steps to establish. SOP,

standard operating procedures.

Here’s something you might not know :
Sharing of the latest updates on

preventive measures towards COVID-19
infection, technologies in managing
blood transfusion services,

implementation of strict and transparent
safety protocols are important

contributions in facing these major
global challenges.

04 The new norms

Blood donation process remains the same, but with an added
SOP.

• So what is SOP?
A Standard Operating Procedure, or SOP, is a set of step-by-

step instructions compiled by an organization to help
workers carry out routine operations.

• What is the purpose of SOP?
SOPs aim is to achieve efficiency, quality output and

uniformity of performance, while reducing
miscommunication and failure to comply with industry

regulations.

• Procedures :
1. All prospective donors who are febrile and have respiratory

tract symptoms are advised not to enter blood collection
venues and seek medical consultation immediately.

2. Before entering blood collection venues, all prospective
donors are required to wear a surgical mask, have their
temperature checked and use alcohol hand rub.

3. Surgical masks should be worn at all times at the blood
collection venues.

4. Maintaining physical distance.

Blood Donation Safety Measures During
COVID-19

Donor Initiative Minimizing
(COVID-19 Symptoms) Exposure

if yes,cancel the blood donation Donors can stay in car
and seek medical opinion. at the hospital’s

if no, call the blood bank to make parking lot till they’re
a blood donation appointment. called in.

Screening room Pre-donation
Predonation-Questionnaire (physical)

“Are you feeling well today?” • Body temperature
• Blood pressure
• Heart rate
• Hemoglobin level

Blood Donation

Abiding SOP

05 Conclusion

In conclusion, COVID-19 is a
pandemic crisis that needs
collaborative effort from
blood donors, community,
blood transfusion services,
and administration.

06 References

1. WHO
WHO characterizes COVID-19 as a pandemic.
2020 (Date: March 11, 2020. Date accessed: 06 Oct)
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-

coronavirus-2019/events-as-they-happen

2. Ministry of Health Malaysia
Current situation of COVID-19 in Malaysia.

2020
https://kpkesihatan.com/2020/10/05/kenyataan-akhbar-
kpk-5-oktober-2020-situasi-semasa-jangkitan-penyakit-

coronavirus-2019-covid-19-di-malaysia/

3. Nagesh S, Chakraborty S. Saving the frontline health
workforce amidst the COVID-19 crisis: Challenges and

recommenda- tions. J Glob Health. 2020;10:010345.
Medline:32373323 doi:10.7189/jogh.10.010345

4. Grohol, J. (2020, April 7). Alone, Together: Why It’s
Physical Distancing, Not Social Distancing

https://psychcentral.com/blog/alone-together-why-its-
physical-distancing-not-social-distancing/

5. Sullivan H.C., Roback J.D., Convalescent Plasma:
Therapeutic Hope or Hopeless Strategy in the SARS-CoV-2

Pandemic [published online ahead of print, 2020 Apr 23]
Transfus Med Rev. 2020 [S0887-7963(20)30025-0]

TRIVIA ANSWERS!

Criteria To Be a Blood Donor

1. Donor should be in good ,health _m_e_n_t_a_lly__alert and physically fit.
2. Should eat a ___lig_h_t___ lunch before the donation .process
3. Weighs 45 kilograms and __a_bo_v_e___.
4. Have more than five hours of ___sl_ee_p____.
5. Free from any medical problems like __h_ig_h___blood ,pressure
.heart disease and diabetes
6. No _o_p_e_ra_t_io_n __ within six months of .donation
7. Donor should not be having ___m_u_lt_ip_le___ sex .partners

List of Blood Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia
Banks of the
State Hospitals
in Malaysia

Address and Phone Numbers

Pusat Darah Negara, Jalan Tun 03-2698 0328
Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur 03-2695 5557 / 58

Unit Transfusi Perubatan Hospital 03-3375 7000
Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, 41200 03-3373 8139
Klang, Selangor.
06-282 2344
Unit Transfusi Perubatan Hospital 06-284 1490
Melaka, Jalan Mufti Hj.Khalil, 75499
Melaka.

Unit Transfusi Perubatan Hospital 05-253 3333
Raja Permaisuri Bainun, 30450 Ipoh, 05-242 3790
Perak.

For further information on blood donation or when and where to donate
their blood, please call the National Blood Centre or the blood bank of
their nearest hospitals.

TO KNOW
MORE
iNFORMATION
ABOUT
HEALTh

Visit our heroes on their social media
channels:

DR SYLVIA LIM ( DENTIST )

@drsylvialim
@drsylvialim

DR JESS ANDRADE ( paediatrician )

@doctorjesss
@doctorjesss
Doctor Jess Vlog

DR THINKYOURHEALTH ( MEDICAL TIPS AND ADVICE )

@dr.thinkyourhealth
Think Your Health

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@drsandramd
Sandra Raman MD

WORLD HEALTH
ORGANIZATION ( WHO )

JJUUSSTTDDOONNAATTEE
BBLLOOOODD..

"ITS SAFE.
ITS SIMPLE.
AND IT SAVES LIVES"