Phuket blood bank calls for foreign blood

PHUKET: The Phuket Regional Blood Center is calling for blood donations from foreigners to restock dwindling supplies at the Phuket repository.

The blood is urgently needed to restock supplies of blood types common among foreigners, says Pornthip Rattajak, acting director of the center.

“We are asking for Rh-negative blood because this is the tourism high season. Many foreigners come to Phuket at this time of year, and each year many of them are involved in accidents. They will need this blood,” Ms Pornthip explained.

Specifically, the Phuket blood bank is looking for donations of blood types O-negative, A-negative and AB-negative.

“Only three in 1,000 Thais have one of these blood types, but they are much more common among foreigners,” Ms Pornthip explained.

“Hospitals in Phuket are asking us to help resupply their A-negative stocks for emergencies, but we don’t have any A-negative in stock. Hospitals are also asking for O negative, but we have only one unit in stock. We have only one unit of AB negative blood, too,” she added.

Ms Pornthip explained that the blood stocks recently sent to Bangkok to help victims of the floods were not Rh-negative.

“The blood we sent was mainly to help Thais, and as I have mentioned, the blood types we now need are not common among Thais,” she said.

To boost the number of donations by foreigners, the Phuket Immigration Office will host a special blood donation drive on December 7.

Donations will be accepted from 9am to 3pm.

Special guests at the event, also being held in honor HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 84th birthday on December 5, will be Phuket Red Cross President and the Governor’s wife Nalinee Augkaradacha, and Phuket Immigration Superintendent Col Panuwat Ruamrak.

For more information call 076-251178 or 086-8804445, or email phuketrbc@yahoo.com

— Chutharat Plerin