Ahead of the 2022 HLUN Commemoration, "Pangudi Luhur" Integrated Center Holds Blood Donation

BEKASI (May 23, 2022) - During the two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, community activities to donate blood decreased sharply, causing the blood supply stock at PMI Bekasi City's Blood Donor Unit to experience a prolonged crisis, while the availability of blood was urgently needed by patients in the hospitals and other public health care systems.

It was due to the patients with various types of certain diseases need blood supplies from donors. A jargon said that "A drop of your blood, means to us" is very meaningful.

As a form of concern and to help supply bloodstock, the Ministry of Social Affairs through the Pangudi Luhur Bekasi Integrated Center, in a network with the Red Cross (PMI) of Bekasi City, organized a blood donation event. This activity is also a series of activities to commemorate the 26th National Elderly Day in 2022, with the theme "Healthy Elderly, Strong Indonesia".

The activity took place in the new building, the ground floor of the STPL Bekasi Center Link Building, Monday (23/5/22) starting at 08.30 a.m. As many as 39 donors are employees, Internship Students, former Beneficiaries, Social Welfare Services Recipients (PPKS), and the general public in the Pangudi Luhur Integrated Center Bekasi.

The Acting Head of the Pangudi Luhur Bekasi Integrated Center, Mokhamad O. Royani, said that this blood donation was the first activity held by the Pangudi Luhur Bekasi Integrated Center after the merger of the three Centers. This refers to the Minister of Social Affairs Regulation Number 3 of 2022 on Organizational Changes and Work Procedures at MoSA.

The Pangudi Luhur Bekasi Integrated Center, he continued, is a synergy of three Centers, namely Budi Dharma Center, Tan Miyat Center, and Pangudi Luhur Center which are tasked with providing services to all clusters of PPKS.

The Head of Administration, Bambang Giantara said that this activity is part of the 26th National Elderly Day Commemoration (HLUN) series which is centered in Tasikmalaya Regency, where the Pangudi Luhur Bekasi Integrated Center acts as the frontline in assisting the elderly in the area.

Head of PMI Bekasi City, Ade Puspitasari, through Head of Bekasi City Blood Donor Kusnanto Saidi, said that the blood supply before and after the Covid-19 pandemic decreased drastically. What was previously 2,500 to 3,000 bags, during the pandemic became around 1,500-2,000 bags of blood. The monthly target which should reach 6000 bags of blood in a month to meet the needs of patients in hospitals around Bekasi.

In April 2022, after an appeal was made to the public through various media in April 2022, there was an increase in the supply of 2,249 bags of blood.

Hopefully, that similar activities will be held on an ongoing basis and the program can be duplicated, maintain the availability of blood when the patients need it. This humanitarian activity is a form of government responsibility in increasing public awareness to donate blood. It can also reduce the number of deaths due to lack of blood.

Some patients who are hospitalized and outpatient with various types of diseases such as cancer, hemophilia, and thalassemia require regular blood transfusions and their components so that the supply at the Red Cross and Bekasi City Blood Donor Unit is sufficient.