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Blood donations still don’t meet demand
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CHINA, which has about 20 percent of the world’s population, accounts for only 10 percent of global blood collection. Both the government and professionals are working hard to encourage more blood donors.
China hosted this year’s World Blood Donor Day, held yesterday under the auspices of the World Health Organization. The occasion was used to redouble efforts to increase donations.
In Shanghai, blood donations are rising. Voluntary donations have grown from less than 40,000 liters in 1998 to 92,000 liters last year. But it still lags demand.
Expats in Shanghai are joining the campaign to improve the numbers.
The Indian Association in Shanghai has organized three blood drives in the past three years, and each sees a growing number of donors.
In the most recent, about 125 Indian expats went to the Shanghai Blood Center to donate. They call the act seva, or “service” in English.
“It’s our way of showing our love and respect for this city,” said Amit Waikar, president of the association. “It is a noble way to repay love. In addition to helping other people, donating blood is also like a bank deposit. When any of our family or friends need blood, we know where we can go for help and whom we can contact.”
Though blood donation is popular in India, some public concerns were raised when the association organized its first big blood drive in 2013, Waikar said.
“We were asked about safety, hygiene and medical support during donation,” Waikar said. “We reassured them that the center collaborates with the World Health Organization and all its procedures meet international protocols.”
Still some fears
Many Chinese cling to taboos about donating blood. They think it can be harmful to the body. Foreigners used to donating blood in their home countries are sometimes reticent about doing the same in Shanghai because they worry about safety issues.
The blood center organized a foreigners’ club in 2011 to encourage expats to become both donors and promote blood drives in their communities.
Dr Ashish Maskay, a surgeon working at Shanghai United Family Hospital and Clinics, is an active donor and volunteer.
Maskay gave his first donation in 2008 at his hospital, where the Shanghai Blood Center established a blood donation unit.
“I just finished a surgery and saw the donation site,” he said. “I used to have worries about the quality of blood collection there, but after the first donation, I felt relieved and became a regular donor every six months.”
He added, “Giving blood has nothing to do with race, religion or nationality. It is purely a caring gesture to other people.”
Since then, Maskay has begun a public information campaign about blood donation among his friends and friends of friends. Many have joined the foreigners’ club.
“Through social media like WeChat, foreigners can come to me for information and guidance if they have concerns,” Maskay said. “We have organized many events to explain the issue and encourage foreigners to donate blood.”
His WeChat account is also a platform for putting out a call for immediate donations if an emergency arises.
“In addition to working among foreigners, we also plan to give lectures in local Chinese primary, middle schools and universities in the future,” he said. “I know about the Chinese reluctance to donate blood. It is difficult to change the mindsets of the elderly and the middle-aged, but we need to try to educate and influence the younger generations.”
Zou Zhengrong, director of the Shanghai Blood Administration Office, said the blood donation rate in China and Shanghai is growing but still lags behind developed countries.
The donation rate for every 1,000 people in Shanghai has risen to 13.8, compared with 9.35 in China and more than 20 in developed countries.
Blood donation efforts revolve around what is know as KAP — K for knowledge, A for attitude and P for practice.
“After years of education and promotion, more people are starting to understand that donating blood does not risk their health,” Zou said. “In a sense, we have been successful in K and A. Now we have to focus on P.”
Zhu Yongming, Party secretary of the Shanghai Blood Center, said the city is learning from other countries on running successful blood drives.
“The young generation is our target,” he said. “In some African countries, for example, they have what is known as Club 25 programs, which encourages young people to donate blood regularly before the age of 25. Young people there think blood donation is cool and part of their social responsibility.”
Events were held yesterday to mark World Blood Donor Day. The theme this year was “thank you for saving my life.” It’s meant to create a bond between donors and receivers.
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