SANDAKAN – A plea for O-negative blood donors at Sandakan’s Duchess of Kent Hospital has garnered widespread attention on social media since yesterday.
It was learned that the person requiring the blood donation was an expectant mother with an impending labour due date.
The head of the hospital’s medicine transfusion department, Dr Jernih Abdul Rahman, told Scoop that the pregnant mother’s case was not classified as an emergency, but the hospital still needed to get more O-negative blood donors for precautions.
Furthermore, he said that the population with the O-negative blood group is low. In Sandakan, less than 5% of people have the blood type.
“Usually we would keep at least one pint of the blood type (O-negative) in our stock. If this is used, we will announce the need for it or acquire it from a nearby hospital.
“This is the same for A-negative, B-negative, and AB-negative blood types. The negative (Rhesus) blood type is considered limited in our population,” he said.
However, Dr Jernih said the patient’s case was still under control because she was not a high-risk patient and currently had stable blood pressure and blood count.
Meanwhile, a family member of the pregnant mother told Scoop that the family was very concerned as the hospital currently only has one pint of O-negative blood.
She said that the pregnant mother had started showing signs of labour ahead of her due date, which had prompted her family members to quickly share the plea for O-negative blood donors on social media.
Yesterday, Sandakan MP Vivian Wong had also posted on her Facebook page asking for O-negative blood donations following the message that had gone viral.
“Emergency, O-negative blood needed in Duchess of Kent (Hospital), Sandakan. Currently critical, if you know (anyone) whose blood is O-negative,” she said.
Wong said any inquiries can be directed to Kelly (010-941-9491), Tung (016-586-9903) or Wendy (012-813-3683). – February 26, 2024