“At this stage, we do not have many units of blood in stock, and we are unable to supply enough blood to patients in need,” a PRBC staffer told The Phuket News today (Jan 11).
“All people are invited to help replenish the blood stocks and save lives,” the staffer said.
The local explanation came after the state news agency National News Bureau of Thailand (NNT) reported that the COVID-19 outbreak has had a big effect on blood reserves throughout the country.
According to the Thai Red Cross Society, more than 340 hospitals in Thailand lack sufficient blood reserves. The Thai Red Cross cannot provide enough blood to meet the demand as regular donors have been coming in less often than usual due to the pandemic, NNT reported.
The Thai Red Cross is able to provide only 700-900 units of blood a day, while daily demand requires 2,200 units, said the report.
Stringent measures are in place at all blood-donation facilities to ensure the donors’ safety, NNT noted in its report.
All donors are required to report their travel history before donating blood, and donors must wear a plastic sleeve on their arm before putting their arms into a blood pressure monitor as part of the process.
Other equipment including blood donor beds, chairs and more are cleaned with sanitiser many times during the day, the report added.
Those in the greater Phuket area who want to donate blood can do so at mobile stations from today (Jan 11) through Jan 29 at the following locations, as follows:
January 11:
12am-6pm at Tesco Lotus Phuket (Thalang)
12am-6pm at Tesco Lotus Phuket (Phuket Town)
January 12:
9:30am-1pm at Plai Phraya District Office (Krabi Town)
January 13:
Midday-6pm at Tesco Lotus Phuket (Thalang)
Midday-6pm at Tesco Lotus Phuket (Phuket Town)
January 14:
9am-midday at Rajaprajanugroh 35 School (Phang Nga)
1.30pm-4pm at Pullman Khaolak Resort (Phang Nga)
January 15:
1pm-4am at Great Glove (Thailand Co Ltd) factory (Thalang)
Midday-6pm at Tesco Lotus Phuket (Phuket Town)
January 18:
1pm-4pm at J.D. Pools Co Ltd (Koh Kaew)
Midday-6pm at Tesco Lotus Phuket (Phuket Town)
January 19:
9.30am-1pm at Klongtomratrangsan School (Krabi)
9.30am-1pm at Klongponsaritpittaya School (Krabi)
January 20:
Midday-6pm at Tesco Lotus Phuket (Phuket Town)
1pm-4pm at JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa (Mai Khao)
January 21:
9am-midday at Phang Nga Technical College (Phang Nga Town)
1.30pm-4pm at Deebuk Phang-nga Wittayayon School (Phang Nga Town)
January 22:
10am-3pm at the Thai Nepali Association (Kathu)
January 25:
9.30am-1pm at Ao Luk Prachasan School (Krabi)
January 26:
10am-4pm at Domestic Terminal, Phuket International Airport
January 27:
9.30am-1pm at Nuaklongprachabumrung School (Krabi)
January 28:
1-4pm at Takua Tung District Office (Phang Nga)
January 29:
Midday-6pm at Tesco Lotus (Thalang)
Midday-6pm at Tesco Lotus Phuket (Phuket Town)
See also: Q&A Passing all the rules for donating blood in Phuket