Shortage prompts call for negative blood

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Wed, 09/26/2007 3:24 PM | Life

Trisha Sertori, contributor, Denpasar

""If people don't get the blood they need after accidents or during surgery, there's a good chance they will die,"" said rare-blood-type donor Urs Klee during the current drive for Rhesus-negative blood donors in Bali. The rare-blood-donors drive is a Seminyak Rotary Club initiative under the Bali Red Cross Blood Bank.

Rare blood types are all those classified under Rhesus-negative bloods, with one of the most rare being AB-negative.

Klee, the general manager of Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel and a Seminyak Rotary Club Blood Bank Committee member, said Bali's Sanglah Hospital-based blood bank was in dire need of blood donors due to an ongoing shortage across Indonesia.

""Rare blood types are negative, however most Asians have positive blood types. At the moment there is a shortage of negative blood, so Seminyak Rotary's Blood Bank Committee is looking for residents to be added to the Bali Red Cross Blood Bank's donor list,"" Klee said.

The blood bank has mobile blood ambulances that can receive blood donations from people's homes or hotels. If people add their names to blood bank's donor lists they may also be called on to give blood during emergencies.

Klee explained blood has a short shelf life, so cannot be stored for long periods. Having Rhesus-negative donors on call means fresh blood will be available in emergencies, potentially saving lives.

""I give blood because I am O-negative. I signed on for the donor drive because if something happens to me my secretary can call on that list of donors. That could save my life,"" said Klee stressing how essential good blood supplies are.

He pointed out that common tropical diseases, such as dengue fever, ""eat up blood,"" and large quantities are needed in transfusions. If a person's blood type is not available, they are more at risk of the disease becoming fatal.

""I know of one case where an expatriate contracted dengue fever and needed a rare blood type for transfusion. The hospitals ran out here in Bali so another blood type was used in the transfusions, just so he could survive long enough to send the patient to Singapore where his blood type was available. Dengue Fever churns through blood supplies,"" Klee said.

Blood transfusions are often needed following accidents or during surgery, Klee said, and families are sometimes left to source blood from family members or within their communities.

""Sometimes operations can only be done when there is a matched blood type available. It is very often up to families to find the blood and that can be difficult when rare blood types are involved,"" Klee said.

Not knowing your own blood type can also be an added complication in emergency situations, according to Klee, who says while blood type testing is standard before surgery, knowing your blood type can speed up the process.

""It is staggering how many people don't know their blood type. It is much quicker in emergencies when people know this and I really urge people to find out their blood group. And for those with rare blood types, hopefully they will also join the list of rare blood donors,"" Klee said.

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