GEORGE TOWN: Penangites are going the extra mile by donating blood amid the Covid-19 outbreak which has resulted in a shortage at the blood bank.
The Penang General Hospital and Indian Muslim Community Organization Malaysia (iMcom) currently have a blood drive in progress at Kompleks Masyarakat Penyayang till April 14.
The drive at Dewan Anggerik is from Monday to Friday, 2pm - 7pm, while on weekends it is from 9am - 2pm.
“Now, with the number of Covid-19 cases increasing, most people are afraid to go to the hospital for blood donation so we set up a safe and strategic location here and have ensured it conforms to Ministry of Health guidelines,“ iMCom president and event organiser, Mohamed Rizwan Abdul Ghafoor Khan, told Bernama.
The campaign started on March 19 and in the first week, only 10 to 15 people came per day, but soon it increased to over 50 people per day, said Mohamed Rizwan, with the first 100 donors given a hamper as an appreciation for performing their civic responsibility.
Penang General Hospital transfusion medicine specialist, Dr Anizah Arshad, said the blood shortage hasn’t reached a critical level but it is essential to maintain adequate blood stock.
She said donors should call the blood bank number at 04-222 5161 to set an appointment and fill an online form available at https://www.facebook.com/dermadarahpenang/posts/2069278446551997 to receive a travel slip for the campaign.
“The online forms can be found in iMcom and Derma Darah Penang’s social media pages, with a separate online form for travel slip to Hospital Seberang Jaya for those living in the mainland,“ she added. — Bernama
