Setsco‘s First Blood Donation Drive
27 Feburary 2013
The advancement of science has grown by leap and bounds in the last centuries; human cells can be preserved, grown and even altered in laboratory scale. However, despite such tremendous development, there is yet a substitute for blood. It is still irreproducible by man and human donors are the only source for blood replenishment.
In Singapore, every hour of the day, 15 units of blood are used. The blood bank has an important responsibility of collecting at least 350 units of blood a day to adequately meet the transfusion needs of patients islandwide. In Feburary this year, the Singapore Red Cross Society and Health Science Authority (HSA) noting the declining level of blood in the bank, make an urgent call to all blood donors to come forward and donate. Setsco’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) committee responded swiftly by organizing a blood donation drive on 27 Feburary 2013.
With about 75 potential donors coming forward to register themselves as blood donors, the atmosphere was more of compassion than obligatory. After a rigorous screening process conducted by a medical doctor, only 31 units were collected successfully from donors. Many donors were found ineligible either due to their travel history to areas with incidences of malaria or they were on medication the week earlier. It was interesting to note that of those successful ones, a third was first time donors! Many of them were nervous and fearful of the needle used to draw blood. Slightly smaller than a ‘probiotic-cultured milk drink’ straw the size was necessary in order to retain the many life-saving cells in the blood such as platelets and plasma. To overcome this, the nurses administered pain killers to achieve stress and pain free blood taking process.
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Staff undergoing a finger prick to check on theblood haemoglobin levels. |
Donors feeling comfortable and relaxed duringthe blood donation. | � |
With the success of the first blood donation drive, Setsco’s CSR committee is looking to do another drive on 28 August this year. The CSR committee hopes that with the date planned in advance, staff can get themselves prepared in order to be eligible donors on that day. Also in the pipeline to include neighbouring companies along Teban Gardens Crescent and make blood donation accessible to all in the vicinity. Setsco is proud to partner HSA and the Singapore Red Cross and do her part in contributing precious blood to the national blood bank to save lives.