More regions across the country are feared to experience a blood shortage during the Ramadan fasting month in 2011, Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) officials have said.

It was reported that even Jakarta, and other regions such as Lebak in Banten province, Cianjur in West Java, Semarang in Central Java, and Meulaboh in Aceh province are experiencing blood scarcities.

A spokesman of the PMI`s West Jakarta branch , Narun Najib, said on Tuesday the agency`s blood stock was predicted to decline by 70 percent during the Ramadan fasting month this year.

He said the blood stock was feared to decline in the third and fourth week of the fasting month because many people would put off donating their blood.

"In the first and second week of the fasting month blood stock is still safe and can meet the needs of the community but it will decline in the third and fourth week," Narun Najib said.

But he pointed out that West Jakarta chapter of PMI has taken an anticipatory measure to overcome blood scarcity by calling on the community to donate their blood in the evening after breaking their fast.

"Thus after Tarawih evening prayers during the fasting month blood donation activities can be conducted because PMI central office is open 24 hours," Narun said.

In Lebak, it was reported that blood stock at local PMI Blood Transfusion Unit was running low while blood demand at Dr Adjidarmo Rangkasbitung Hospital continued to increase.

"We feel confused the blood stock is decreasing while demand continues to rise," Lebak PMI Blood Transfusion Unit spokesman Sri Rahayu said on Wednesday.

But to overcome the blood shortage, Sri Rahayu said PMI officials has implemented blood donor replacement from the family and the neighbors of patients.

"As such is an alternative strategy to meet the blood demand because the blood stock we have is relatively small and not proportional to the number of demands," she said.

According to her, blood demand of the patients could reach 50 to 60 pouches with 250 cc each while the blood stock was only only 20 bags.

Sri Rahayu said the number of dengue fever patients, victims of traffic accident, and surgery patients continues to increase in Lebak district but the blood donors from the students, government institutions, and the people drop dramatically because they were fasting.

Therefore she expressed hope that the people, students, and civil servants in Lebak would voluntarily donate their blood to meeting the increasing demand of blood. 

In Cianjur, local PMI Blood Transfusion Unit chief Azwar Chaniago said on Tuesday that since the start of fasting month on Monday, August 1, 2011, blood stock has drastically decreased.

Azwar admitted that they at present they only have 17 pouches of type A blood, 61 pouches of type B blood, 93 pouches of type O blood, and 5 pouches of type AB blood.

"The blood stocks that we have at present are enough for only next three days, but if we run out of supply we will suggest that the family of patients voluntarily donate their blood," Azawar said.

But he added that to meet the blood demand during the fasting month, his party would encourage non-Muslim donors to donate their life saving body fluid.

Blood shortage is also experienced by Semarang chapter of PMI Blood Transfusion Unit in Central Java.

Semarang PMI spokesman dr. Rini Astuti said on Monday that blood stock was feared to decline by 30 percent during the fasting month this year.

"Based on our experience in the past years, blood stock during Ramadan fasting month actually dropped a bit because most people were reluctant to donate their blood because they were afraid it would disrupt their fast," Rini said.

She said blood stock in weekdays could reach 450 to 600 bags per day but in fasting month it usually dropped by 30 percent.

Sadly enough, the PMI in West Aceh district town of Meulaboh is feared to have not blood stock at all during the fasting month because it does not have blood transfusion unit.

Local PMI spokesman Teuku Raja Kumbangan said in Meulaboh on Tuesday that during the fasting month the local people refused to donate their blood and that it really had a band impact on blood stock. 

Teuku said blood scarcity has actually happened since the PMI office was established in Meulaboh because it did not have blood transfusion unit nor blood bank.

But unlike the other regions which experience blood shortage, PMI Solo branch in Central Java was assured of a secure blood stock during the fasting month and Lebaran festivity.

PMI Solo branch secretary Sumartono Hadinoto said on Monday that blood demand per month could reach 1,000 bags but they have the stock of more than 3,000 blood bags at present.

"Blood demand during the fasting month this year in Solo may increase but PMI does not have to worry about the existing blood stock at present," Sumartono said.

To maintain the blood stock at normal quota, Sumartono expressed hope that the local people would voluntarily donate their blood in the evening after breaking their fast or conducting tarawih evening prayers.

The depletion of blood stock in the month of Ramadan always happens every year when the people are reluctant to donate their blood because they fear that it will disrupt their fasting activity.

But in reality, there is no problem in donating blood during the fasting month because it could be conducted either in the morning on in the evening.

He said that if one donated the little excess blood in his or her body, it could save someone`s life without creating any problem for him or her

Source: ANTARA