Jakarta needs more blood banks, governor says

The growing need for blood in Jakarta makes it necessary for the Jakarta administration to build more blood banks in the city, the governor says.

Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo said Tuesday that the city – particularly West and South Jakarta – needed more blood distribution centers to meet the need for up to 400,000 units of blood each year.

"West Jakarta and South Jakarta need one more blood distribution center each [to cover hospitals in the areas]," Fauzi said during the inauguration of Jakarta Red Cross's new members in the city hall.

Fauzi said that the establishment of more blood banks would be a solution to traffic issues in the city, which in the long run would help those who are in immediate need of blood because "there are still many hospitals in Jakarta that don't have blood banks."

Currently, of 161 hospitals in Jakarta, only 90 already have blood banks.

Indonesia Red Cross chairman Jusuf Kalla said that ideally, Jakarta should provide 400,000 units of blood per year, or four percent of the city's total population.

"At the national level, we have targeted provision of 4.5 million units of blood per year, or two percent of the country's population," he said.

Jakarta only managed to provide 290,000 units of blood last year. As of February, the Jakarta Red Cross had managed to collect 44,834 units of blood, beritajakarta.com reported. (swd)