Encouraging More to Take Part in Blood Donations

21 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Health (a) how does the Ministry intend to encourage greater donations of blood; and (b) whether the Ministry will review rules prohibiting blood donations following visits to certain countries, to address the current blood stock crunch.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: To promote blood donation, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and Singapore Red Cross work together to partner entities, such as the People's Association, companies and religious and social organisations, to conduct regular marketing campaigns and leverage digital platforms.

As announced recently, after reviewing international evidence, HSA will remove later this year, the deferral for apheresis donors with geographical risk of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.