A PMI paramedic from Indonesia Red Crossgathering blood from donors in Jakarta
Not enough people are coming to the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) to donate blood -- so the PMI is coming to the people.
The organization plans to open 125 to 150 blood transfusion centers in shopping malls and on campuses as of June this year, said PMI head Jusuf Kalla on Wednesday.
"Breakthroughs are needed to meet blood needs. Annually Indonesia needs 3-4 million bags of blood," but in 2008 it harvested only 1.7 million, said the former Indonesian vice president.
"This year PMI plans to collect 3 million bags and next year 4 million bags," he added.
PMI will also provide a blood delivery service to hospitals so that people do not need to visit transfusion centers to get blood, and build a plant to produce blood bags domestically rather than importing them.
"Self-sustainability is necessary in emergency situations and therefore the factory is needed," said Kalla.
According to a 2004 World Health Organization survey, just five in 1,000 Indonesians donate blood each year, compared to 14 out of every 1,000 Malaysians, 24 in 1,000 Singaporeans and 68 in 1,000 Japanese.
