The blood equation that Singapore needs to balance

On 25 January 2024, the Singapore Red Cross and the Health Sciences Authority released a statement urging eligible donors to come forward to donate blood as the Group O blood stocks in Singapore have reached a critically low level with less than a six-day stockpile. A stable blood supply is necessary for a resilient health system and the shortage of blood is a recurring issue that happens almost every year during January and July.

Professor Teo Yik Ying, NUS Vice President (Global Health) and Dean of the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, suggests that there is a need to address misconceptions about blood donation and provides suggestions such as incorporating the topic of blood donation in the mainstream school curriculum, leveraging social media influencers, and using technological innovations to encourage regular blood donations to overcome this shortage. He emphasises that despite advances in medical science, there is still no substitute for human blood.

Read more here.