UMP, HTAA Blood Donation Campaign helps save lives

PEKAN, 1 June 2022 – A total of 187 donors among students and staff of Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) participated in the blood donation campaign at Level 1 Lobby, Student Activity Centre (PAP), UMP Pekan recently.

The program, which was run by 20 members of the Blood Bank Unit, Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital (HTAA), Kuantan, was also assisted by members of the University Health Centre (PKU) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan (HTAA) Medical Officer, Dr. Nurul Sakinah Azmi said that the campaign was held to cover the blood supply that is currently at critical levels.

“This is one of our first steps in finding donors.

“In addition, people do not need to come to the hospital but we go to the designated locations instead,” she said.

Director of PKU UMP, Dr. Khairul Salleh Abdul Basit said this campaign was a huge success with a considerable amount of staff and student involvement.

“This is an opportunity to educate people and raise awareness about the importance of donating blood, especially in helping to save a person’s life.

“A pack of donated blood will be divided into several components such as red blood cells, plasma, platelets and whole blood.

“PKU has also always emphasised wearing masks and practising social distancing throughout the blood donation session,” he said.

He said that UMP residents who have symptoms such as fever, cough, flu, headache, sore throat, shortness of breath, diarrhoea and body aches, who are instructed to undergo a quarantine period by the District Health Office and are categorised as close contract and individuals with incomplete vaccination against COVID-19 are not allowed to attend.

This is to ensure that the spread of COVID-19 can be contained among UMP residents.

PKU and HTAA were also grateful to all donors who had attended and this shows the high and invaluable volunteerism of UMP residents.

By: Siti Nurfarmy Ibrahim, Corporate Communications Division, Chancellery Department

Translation by: Dr. Rozaimi Abu Samah, Engineering College/Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology