According to the Taiwan Blood Services Foundation (血液基金會), blood banks in the Taipei region are running critically low on type A blood for patients in need of transfusions.
According to the Central News Agency, the remaining supply of type A blood at area hospitals is only sufficient for the next 3.8 days. The critical shortage has prompted the Taiwan Blood Service Foundation to announce a “red alert” calling on the public to donate within the next few days if at all possible.
While the Taipei area is currently facing an immediate shortage of type A, other blood types are nearing risk of “red alert” status across the country. Reserves of A, B, O, and AB blood in most areas of Taiwan are currently only expected to last about seven days, the level considered a “safe stock,” according to the CNA report.
An official representing the Taipei Blood Center (台北捐血中心), Liu Chun Hong (劉俊宏), says that the center is hopeful that it can receive 9,000 blood donations over the next two days. The Taipei Blood Donation Center is located near Guandu Station on the Tamsui-Xinyi (red) MRT line, however, the center will be hosting several mobile blood drives around Taipei this weekend.
Information is available on the website (Chinese).
BY:Taiwan News