Makassar Lacks Platelet Blood Stock, Donors Take A Day Off

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) Makassar City currently lacks stock of blood components, namely platelets as an effect of the lack of donors during the Eid 1443 Hijri holiday.

"Thinking, the blood stock at PMI is now limited because there are no donors except those who come to the office. Meanwhile, the platelet blood component only lasts 5 days," said Head of the Makassar City PMI Blood Transportation Unit (UTD), Dr Sukmawati, in Makassar, Thursday, May 5. Between.

Sukma said that since May 1, there have been no more blood donors except at the Makassar PMI UTD Office and Ratu Indah Mall. Even then, the number of donors who came was very minimal, only two to three people.

This results in a very minimal stock of platelet blood components, while ideally there should be 20 bags each for blood types A, B and O while 5-10 bags should be available for AB.

"This can only be called the availability of safe stock. Actually there are admins who call the donors. If they are in the city they come, but there are still many who go home," said Dr. Sukma.

Meanwhile, the blood stocks that are currently available at PMI (5/5) are blood type A: 7 bags, B: 4 bags, O: 9 bags and AB: 7 bags.

PMI Makassar Spokesperson Ahmad Syauqi said the stock shortage was only for platelet blood components (TC) and fresh frozen plasma (FFP).

"For the other blood components, thank God it's still safe until now," said Ahmad.

Ahmad revealed that the lack of platelet blood components was due to the large number of requests since last month for DHF patients. In addition, a number of patients with malignancy and major surgery are also in need.

"On average, one patient demands 6-8 bags of platelets, which means it has to be from 6-8 donors as well. While there are voluntary donors but only 1 or 2 people a day, so all the platelet stock is from the patient's family donor," said Ahmad.

The blood components that are commonly known by their respective expiration periods are WB (complete blood) and PRC (concentrated red blood cells) with an expiration period of 35 days, TC (platelet concentrate) only last 5 days and FFP (fresh frozen plasma) lasts for 5 days. keep frozen 3 months - 1 year.