The blood bank at Siriraj Hospital is running low on all blood types due to reduced donations during the COVID-19 outbreak, according to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Parichart Permpikul, head of the Siriraj’s transfusion medicine department at Mahidol University.

Siriraj Hospital still has a large number of surgical patients who need blood, and is appealing for healthy people to donate blood and help save lives.

Dr. Parichart said that the Siriraj Blood Donation Centre has a high standard of COVID-19 screening. Every donor and employee takes a temperature check before entering the center. All of the employees had a risk assessment for COVID-19 before working. All of the equipment and the area are also sterilized frequently.

To be an eligible donor, you must not have had close contact with anyone suspected of being or who is infected with COVID-19 and have not visited any COVID-19 hotspots in the past 2 weeks.

The hospital also suggests that donors should not have congenital conditions, such as epilepsy, heart disease or have experienced chest pain. Donors also should not consume high-fat foods, drink alcohol or smoke.

Before making the donation, donors are advised to have slept for at least six hours and must weigh more than 48 kilograms.

The Siriraj Blood Donation Centre is on the 3rd floor of the Navamindrapobitr 84th Anniversary Building at Siriraj Hospital. The center is open for donations every day from 8.30am to 4pm, or you can call (02) 419 0100 or (02) 414 0102 for more information.