On the other side of the coin, candidate donors are able to get free health checks, as they must undergo laboratory blood checks for hemoglobin levels, as well as the four major communicable diseases Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, and syphilis. “Donating blood also lowers your risk of suffering from strokes, heart attacks, and iron accumulation in the blood. After donating, your marrows will produce fresh, oxygen-rich blood cells more aggressively. This makes your body fitter. This good deed also extends your life span by up to four years,” dr. Dewi said.
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8 Seconds = 1 Blood Bag
Indonesian Red Cross data shows that one blood bag is required every second for emergencies across the country, while their blood stock has been depleted by as much as 40% to 90% during the pandemic. Prof. Dr. dr. Pustika Amalia Wahidayat, Sp.A(K), pediatric hemato-oncology consultant from the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta and Head of the Hospital’s Blood Bank, declared that candidate donors are reluctant to go to hospitals and donate during the pandemic, as they are afraid of catching Covid-19. Therefore, health workers are also unable to determine donors’ health status. “Despite mass vaccinations, we have little blood stock available because new blood donors can only donate their blood a week after vaccination, while Covid-19 patients can donate after at least a months since their symptoms stopped. Covid-19 is not communicable by blood,” she said.