TODAY-Dec 4
Fewer young people aged between 16 and 25 years old are stepping forward as blood donors in Singapore, with the Singapore Red Cross reporting a drop of 44 per cent over the last decade. From January to October this year, about 10,100 youth donors showed up, forming 14 per cent of the total number of donors. This slide is worrying, according to the humanitarian group, as the demand for blood has risen by 4 per cent over the last five years. Demand is expected to climb further amid the country’s ageing population, as elderly people are more prone to health issues that might require blood transfusions, such as dialysis treatment. In 2020, about one in six Singaporeans were aged 65 and above, with the figure forecast to rise to one in four by 2030. “In the next five to 10 years, the aged population is going to increase. It’s already been increasing (and) it’s going to increase a lot more,” Mr Prakash Menon, group director of the Singapore Red Cross’ blood donor program, told CNA. Only around 1.8 per cent of Singapore’s population regularly donates blood, according to the Singapore Red Cross. Usage is now increasing, as hospitals are catching up on a backlog of elective surgeries and treatment that had been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. A total of 15 units of blood — about 6.7 liters — is needed each hour every day, with 54 per cent used for surgery, 31 per cent used for general medicine, 9 per cent for blood diseases, and 6 per cent for accidents.
To meet the needs of patients, the organization needs to collect about 400 units of blood daily. Read more at: https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/fewer-young-people-singapore-donating-blood-even-demand-rises-ageing-population-red-cross-2318361?cid=internal_mcdrecs_05122023_tdy#mdcrecs_s
