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Blood Donations Are Rising In Singapore. So Why Is A Shortage Projected? | Talking Point

CNA Insider

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Singapore's blood supply is coming under growing pressure.

As Singapore’s population ages, the need for blood is expected to grow. At the same time, the number of youth donors has more than halved over the past decade, while the median age of donors has risen. Singapore projects that if current trends continue, it could face a blood supply shortfall in seven years.

Talking Point investigates what it takes to keep Singapore’s blood supply going, why we can’t simply stockpile or import our way out of a shortage, and whether a new generation of donors will step forward in time.

00:00 Introduction
01:12 What happens to donated blood?
03:06 Blood components & their uses
04:02 How much blood do we have?
04:33 What happens if blood runs low?
05:55 Why hospitals need more blood
09:07 Why blood can’t be stockpiled
10:13 Why Group O is especially vulnerable
11:00 Why Singapore needs more young donors
13:26 Can Singapore import blood?
17:12 Do donor incentives actually work?
18:52 Can K-Pop bring young donors back?

About the show:
Talking Point investigates a current issue or event, offering different perspectives to local stories and revealing how it all affects you.
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20 Comments

@janttttttt4376 2 weeks ago

Looking at the comments section, it becomes a possibility that one of the bigger reasons why we begin lacking blood donors is
simply that more n more ppl ask this qns, 'why should I?'

@daveevad3524 2 weeks ago

I tried to donate and rejected twice because the nurse told me that my blood vessel is too small so it would completely collapse before it could even fill half a bag

@pludgooey9331 2 weeks ago

No sick leave is the biggest one. Wtf

@Somehowjam 2 weeks ago

I didn't know this is an issue. As someone who worked in sg for 8yrs, I donate blood 4x a yr. I drink my quarterly share of milo at hsa. Blood donation is really good for your body and hsa branches are so accessible.

@yihong1569 2 weeks ago (edited)

As a regular blood donor, it's upsetting to see in the comments how people seem keen to monetise their own bodies and something as priceless as a life, ignoring the very real ethical reasons for not providing direct monetary incentives and the precedent it sets to place a price tag on human body parts. Hopefully the efforts in educating youths about blood donation will bear fruit in the future.

@CatherineWolf-x3w 2 weeks ago (edited)

I love this talking point very informational and interesting! ❤

@RandomPerson-kg5yt 2 weeks ago

This comment section is so tone deaf haha, don't want to donate just say don't want to donate 🤣

@josh-olaf 2 weeks ago (edited)

That's why bloodless surgery and medecine need to be adopted to reduce huge dependance to the blood. Use blood where it is necessary needed. I wish next round: explore new development or visit hospitals which have been using bloodless medicine. Thanks for this coverage. ❤❤

@Brazilamak 2 weeks ago

I don't get the conditions for donating blood also. There's like a list of advisories that are really easy to break upon, like suspecting flu from sneezing iirc. I rather if my periodic visits to the doctor can give a green light towards donating blood instead. It'd be more reassuring to have a medical professional endorse my suitability in that regards.

@squidzy9150 2 weeks ago

unfortunately as an anemic i can’t donate blood, but i really wish to do so if i could

@jj-of1wo 13 days ago

the comments here are crazy, donating blood has nothing to do with the government and money, it is voluntary out of care and concern as a human species. Imagine if one day you’re the one lying in a hospital bleeding to death and there’s no blood supply? How can you complain about capitalism and cost of living, yet hypocritically want to capitalise something as precious as blood? If you are able-bodied and healthy, please consider donating. You never know if it’s you who might need it someday.

@kohzhengfeng1876 2 weeks ago

I wonder would company and cooperation give leave of absence to their staff who donate blood to rest and recover? 🤔

@genysia6413 2 weeks ago (edited)

I used to donate blood, but now I think it is too tricky to do so.

I have to rack my brains to think what supplements I’ve taken for the past 24 hours, past 3 days and past week. So I have to stop taking relevant medications and supplements. If not I have to explain every medication I do take, and then explain why I take them, and wait for assessment to see whether it is ok, and just share a lot of info with someone who isn’t my doctor.

Then I need to remember if I’ve had a stomachache, which may be just from spicy food, but that counts too. Or perhaps a fever? A cough? A sore throat? A sneeze? Would that count as a flu?

Anything that’s slightly unsure, the session is cancelled. Even if I somehow jump through all these hoops, iron level fail. It’s not easy to set time aside and travel to these blood donation stations either, and a meticulously planned session is still a hit or miss. It’s just quite stressful for a working adult to do this.

I understand the concerns behind the stringent checks, and I think they are totally valid. On the other hand, I kinda just tell myself maybe I’ll just pass on this.

@sand6716-j3d 2 weeks ago

It is on my to-do list. I always wanted to donate blood but haven't found time to do. Will really make time for this soon.

@heroheng3840 13 days ago

Simple reason why people don't want do, they want something in return like cash or something voucher. Society forgotten this saying "A good deed is it own reward".

@Perantau_Nun 12 days ago (edited)

as a O type donor, i stop donating my blood after i discovered that there is lump in my breast. doctor said most likely is benign, pending confirmation through local biopsy. other than that, i’m very healthy

I am not sure if it will still affect the blood, but i just can’t bring my heart to donate when there is sth wrong with my body.

is there a pre-donation check on the blood if it is good enough for donation before donor proceed to donate their blood? i feel that the Questionaries on paper is not enough

i do feel that giving money to attract will seriously attract irresponsible donors, who may impact or jeopardise the health of blood recipients

@zezimabig 9 days ago

It will be meaningful for me if there is a way to find out how many people my blood has benefitted.

@bishopqpalzm 13 days ago

I've seen how freely surgeons order and discard bags of blood just because blood is donated. Quite excessive.

@ft4686 2 weeks ago

there was once i donated blood, and halfway through the session, blood started to spray out from the man beside me.
needless to say i did not donate blood ever again after that lol

@John_Smith_86 2 weeks ago

Huh. I learned something. I didn't know that donated plasma are safe because the plasma undergoes cleaning at the pharma factory. That is interesting...