22 July 2013| last updated at 12:34AM
KOTA KINABALU: A state integrated website, Sabah Bloodline, has served as a platform to ensure hospitals have access to information on blood availability in the state for daily or emergency operations.
Since last year, 25 hospitals, including one in Labuan, have been using it to communicate information related to blood supply."It is undeniable that hospitals may encounter some blood supply issues during these two months.
"However, we have back-up plans in place, and the website has been great in disseminating information on the overall blood supply status in Sabah," said (Likas Women and Children) hospital director Dr Tan Bee Hwai when asked about the adequacy of blood supply during Ramadan.
Administrators provide updates that will be translated into colour-coded indicators on blood level status.
"The system gives immediate information on who to seek for help should any hospital blood bank fall below critical level, or in case of an emergency."
There is also a chatroom for administrators to make "auctions" on additional or nearly expired blood to others to prevent wastage of resources.
A healthy blood cell has approximately 120 days of shelf life before it becomes non-viable.
Other than that, he said urgent announcements such as red alerts and other directives could also be made on the portal.
Dr Tan added that (Likas Women and Children) hospital would always have 60 pints blood standing by on a daily basis, to be used for women undergoing caesarean sections or blood transfusions for Thalassaemia children. The rest are for emergency cases and elective surgeries.
"We have several back-ups, which include encouraging patients' relatives to replace blood supply in the blood bank, requesting hospital staff to donate blood or delay surgery," he said, adding that hospital authorities have been actively conducting at least 10 blood donation drives around the state.
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