KUALA LUMPUR (May 20): The Ministry of Health (MoH) has expressed concern that the country’s blood bank stock currently stands at only 57% of the targeted level.

Its director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said blood donation and collection efforts were affected due to the movement control order (MCO), resulting in a 40% fall in blood supply compared to previous years.

He said the ministry had conducted several promotional activities, but blood collection remained unsatisfactory.

This was worrying as government hospitals had resumed performing elective surgeries, he added in a statement today..

The ministry expects an increase in the blood requirement of government hospitals from 9,000 bags a week to over 13,0000 bags in a week.

He said the number of accident cases requiring hospital treatment had also seen a  5% to 10% increase, said Noor Hisham.

With blood donation expected to fall further during the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri period, the director-general urged members of the public to come forward to donate blood.

They can do so at the National Blood Centre here, or at other blood banks across the country, he said, adding that the blook banks are open until 9pm during Ramadan to enable Muslims to donate blood after breaking fast.