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Straits Times

Forum: Efforts under way to encourage organisations, youth to support blood donations

Forum: Efforts under way to encourage organisations, youth to support blood donations We thank Mr Ivan Ong for advocating the importance of blood donation (More youth, corporate support needed for blood donations, June 4). Blood donation is a voluntary act, and time off for donating blood may be awarded at organisations' discretion. The Civil Service has taken the lead to allow public officers to use their volunteer leave for blood donation. This demonstrates the Civil Service's strong commitment to the National Blood Programme in securing the nation's blood supply. To galvanise more corporate involvement, Singapore Red Cross and the Health Sciences Authority actively collaborate with organisations to host community bloodmobile drives, conduct employee educational talks, and encourage group donations at any of the five Bloodbanks islandwide. We also encourage organisations and their chief executives to 'Adopt a Bloodbank' by pledging at least 40 staff donations every year. This initiative fosters long-term donor engagement and cultivates a sense of shared ownership and social responsibility in ensuring a safe and sufficient blood supply. To inspire more youth to step forward, our YouthInspire club works closely with interest groups and celebrity fan clubs to organise thematic drives at the Bloodbanks. These efforts not only promote peer-to-peer recruitment, but also help debunk misconceptions, and embed blood donation into the youth lifestyle. We invite youth to follow the @heybloodbuddy account on Instagram and TikTok and join our upcoming activities. We welcome all youth and community members to join our upcoming World Blood Donor Day celebration at Marina Bay Sands on June 28 themed, 'One Community, Many Lifesavers'. We thank all regular donors for their continued support and echo Mr Ong's call for more individuals and organisations to champion this life-saving cause. Together, we can ensure a resilient and sustainable national blood programme for all. Prakash Menon Srikumaran Group Director, Blood Donor Programme Singapore Red Cross Dr Ang Ai Leen Group Director, Blood Services Group Health Sciences Authority More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.