Health Minister: Early Vaccines For Those Who Have Donated Blood Over 50 Times Before
"For the blood donors, we are planning an early vaccination."
By Sadho Ram — 10 Apr 2021, 06:25 PM
The Ministry of Health (MOH) is considering giving priority to Malaysians who have donated blood more than 50 times in the second phase of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme
According to Health Minister Dr Adham Baba, MOH is looking to raise the matter with the COVID-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee, Bernama reported yesterday, 9 April.
"It is actually a good proposal and an incentive for blood donors in the country," he was quoted as saying following a visit to the National Blood Centre (PDN) in Kuala Lumpur.
Dr Adham added that there have been suggestions by blood donors that they are given priority in the country's COVID-19 vaccination exercise.
"For the blood donors, we are planning an early vaccination," a report in Astro Awani quoted the Health Minister saying in Bahasa Melayu
"Untuk kategori penderma darah kita rencanakan vaksin awal, mereka yang telah menderma darah lebih 50 kali kita akan beri mereka tampil untuk diberi vaksinasi awal Fasa 2," Astro Awani quoted him as saying.
"Atau kalau mereka 60 tahun ke atas atau mereka ada comorbid, tidak derma darah, jadi mereka boleh dapatkan vaksin sebagai insentif kerana kebaikan mereka menyumbang kepada negara terutama sekali mereka yang memerlukan transfusi darah."
Dr Adham also noted that there has been a decline in the nationwide collection of the number of blood bags in 2020 as compared to 2019
He attributed the decline to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last year, a total of 652,671 blood bags were collected nationwide, a drop of 12.3% compared to the previous year. However, he assured that bloodstock throughout the country was still sufficient.
