Considering the enhanced measures in place to manage the new and rising Covid-19 community cases in Singapore, it has become exceedingly difficult to find avenues to volunteer. In a small society like Singapore, volunteering by the public makes a huge difference in the lives of beneficiaries.
Knowing that it is difficult to volunteer at this stage, IASG decided to explore various options through which we could give back to the community. Having recently become an official partner of the Singapore Red Cross, we reached out to them to find out a little more about blood donations, and here are some interesting facts that we found out!
- The largest percentage of donated blood (54%) is utilised for General Surgery in Singapore.
- In 2020, Singapore only had 72,130 blood donors, which amounts to a startling 1.78% of the population.
- The most commonly donated blood in Singapore is O+ (43.1% of total donors), and the least commonly donated blood is B- (0.3% of total donors).
- During a donation of blood, only 350ml to 450ml of blood will be collected – this is only about 8-12% of your total blood volume.
- If you are vaccinated against Covid-19, you can still donate blood in Singapore, as long as you follow the new guidelines!
Blood donation is quick, extremely safe and regulated, and relatively painless. It does not cost a donor anything but their time to make an appointment and head down to their nearest blood bank. The presence of the Covid-19 virus does not mitigate the need for blood, especially knowing that a majority of donated blood goes towards General Surgery. Blood donors are truly the unsung heroes of most surgical procedures in Singapore, as many surgical procedures require blood bags to ensure the wellbeing of the patient.
Most first-time donors do experience some anxiety and doubt over donating, and those who have donated blood before usually get too busy to be regular donors. As such, IASG aims to encourage volunteers among our staff to be regular blood donors by allowing them some time off during the week to head down to the Dhoby Ghaut blood bank near our office and donate!
We encourage our clients, partners and friends to also look into being regular donors. Not only will it keep up your drive to live a healthier lifestyle (as it is encouraged to eat nutrient-dense and iron-rich foods leading up to the donation), but you will also be helping save a life and ensure that Singapore’s blood resources never run dry! Find out where you can donate blood here.
