As Singapore grapples with a decline in youth blood donors, Mr Kim Yee and Mr Fazil’s story highlights the urgency of the situation.
Have you ever thought about how a small act like donating blood can have a big impact on someone’s life?
With Singapore’s aging population, the need for young blood donors is more important than ever.
Sheikh Abdullah Mohamed Fazil, 23, an undergraduate student at the National University of Singapore, understands this all too well. His blood type is O, and he has donated blood 13 times since 2019, saving many lives in the process.
His motives are simple but powerful. “Even though he doesn’t know who that blood will go to, it gives him personal satisfaction knowing that for every blood donation he saves three people.”
But not all young people share Fazil’s enthusiasm for donating blood. Some people are apprehensive about the process, often citing fear of needles as a barrier. Fadzil suggests starting early to encourage a new generation of blood donors, dispel misconceptions and increase interest in schools.
Recent data from the Singapore Red Cross Society (SRC) and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) reveals worrying trends. The number of blood donors among young people aged 16 to 25 has been steadily declining, and they will account for just 15% of all blood donors in 2023, compared to 33% in 2011.
The pandemic has accelerated this decline, with the cancellation of school outreach and mobile blood drives hampering important avenues for educating youth about blood donation. An SRC spokesperson acknowledged the challenges and said: “We have restarted these activities, but it will take time and effort to build momentum and increase the number of young blood donors again.”
To address this issue, the SRC and HSA have launched various programs such as the Youth Blood Donor Program and the Youthphoria Award. These initiatives aim to empower young people to become blood donation ambassadors and educate their peers and families.
Singapore needs a continued influx of new blood donors, as more than 600 blood donors stop donating each year due to age or illness. HSA emphasized the importance of fostering a lifelong habit of blood donation among young people to ensure a sustainable blood supply into the future.
Singapore’s blood demand is expected to increase significantly by 2030, reaching more than 160,000 units per year. This is driven by the super-elderly population, where people over the age of 60 already account for his 60 percent of total red blood cell usage, and whose medical needs are increasing.
As Lunar New Year approaches, the SRC and HSA are issuing an urgent appeal for type O blood type donors as stocks are at critical levels. The universal nature of the O blood type makes it very important in emergencies when the patient’s blood type is unknown. A shortage of type O blood can delay surgeries and make life-saving blood transfusions difficult.
People like Kimun Yi, who requires regular blood transfusions, understand firsthand the effects of blood shortages. She urges potential donors to think about the real difference they can make. She said: “In the past, I had to go home without blood because I was told there wasn’t enough blood at the blood bank.”