Blood donors invited to join island-wide drive to save lives

The Phuket RBC invites donors to visit various locations across the island throughout April. All blood types are in deficit, including Rh-positive and RH-negative, but heightened emphasis is made on donating Rh-negative blood types, which are not common among Asians, but critically needed for providing help to other foreigners, including those injured in road accidents. 

Despite the ongoing efforts, Rh-Negative blood reserves in Thailand remain alarmingly low, as only 0.3% of the Thai population have this blood type, compared to around 15% of westerners, according to academics.

Scores of foreigners – notably an impressive number of Russian nationals – turned out to contribute at a major blood donation drive organised by Phuket Immigration and Phuket Red Cross this Monday (Dec 27). 

Present for the event were Phuket Immigration Chief Col Thanet Sukchai and Phuket Red Cross President Wandee Woonciew among other dignitaries who in person thanked Phuket heroes for donating blood. 

The Phuket Red Cross outreach campaign schedule for April is as follows: 

• Apr 1 – 2pm-6pm – Lotus’s Bypass; 
• Apr 2 – 9am-3.30pm – Phuket Regional Blood Center (special donation on the occasion of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn birthday);
• Apr 3 – noon-6pm – Lotus’s Thalang; 
• Apr 3 – 1pm-4pm – Makro Phuket (Kathu); 
• Apr 5 – noon-6pm – Lotus’s Bypass; 
• Apr 5 – 1pm-4pm – Great Glove Thailand (Srisoonthorn);
• Apr 7 – 10am-3pm – King Power Duty Free; 
• Apr 11 – noon-6pm – Lotus’s Bypass;
• Apr 11 – noon-6pm – Lotus’s Thalang; 
• Apr 12 – noon-6pm – Lotus’s Bypass;
• Apr 12 – noon-4pm – Makro Thalang; 
• Apr 18 – 1pm-4pm – Noku Phuket Hotel (Chalong);
• Apr 19 – 1pm-4pm – Melia Phuket Hotel (Mai Khao);
• Apr 21 – 10am-3pm – Phuket Court of Appeal (Phuket Town);
• Apr 22 – 2pm-6pm – Lotus’s Bypass;
• Apr 25 – 10am-4pm – Phuket International Airport, Office Building;
• Apr 27 – 9.30-2pm – BISP School, Koh Kaew;
• Apr 27 – noon-6pm – Central Floresta, G Floor Parking;

People can also donate blood directly at the Phuket RBC in Phuket Town:

• Monday, Wednesday, Friday – 8.30am to 4.30pm;  
• Tuesday, Thursday – 8.30am to 8pm;  
• Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays – 9am to 3pm;  
• Telephones – 076-251178 ext. 2 or 081-9588854.  
• Facebook – Phuket RBC and Region Phuket NBC. 

Normally Vachira Phuket Hospital organises its own separate outreach campaign, but the schedule for April has not been released yet. People can donate blood at the Blood Bank on the 4th floor of the hospital, located on Yaowarat Rd. in Phuket Town:

• Monday to Friday – 8.30am to 8pm;  
• Weekends and holidays – 8.30am to 3pm;  
• Telephone – 076-361234 ext 1287;
• Facebook – Blood Bank, Vachira Phuket Hospital.

A separate donation event specifically targeting foreigners with RH negative blood is scheduled for Apr 10. The event – dubbed Phuket’s Blood Donation Drive 2nd – is to be held at Limelight Avenue in Phuket Town from 10am through 4pm.