Demand for blood rises in Arakan State with dengue fever outbreak

By Admin 27 Jul 2023

DMG Newsroom
27 July 2023, Sittwe

Social organisations in Arakan State’s Sittwe, Mrauk-U, Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Ponnagyun and Kyauktaw townships have reported difficulties finding blood for emergency cases amid an ongoing exodus of young people from Arakan State for jobs overseas.

Regular blood donors and young people have been leaving Arakan State in the aftermath of the cyclone due to high unemployment, and the number of blood donors has declined by almost half, according to social organisations.

“Meanwhile, there has been a surge in the number of patients. It is so hard to find blood donors,” said U Aung Than Tun, chairman of the Garuna Hline blood donors association in Mrauk-U.

Previously, there were donors who gave blood regularly at blood banks in hospitals, including a reliable group who donated blood to mark their birthdays. But the number of blood donors has declined since Cyclone Mocha struck in mid-May, said chairman Ko Lin Lin of the Sittwe-based Metta Yaung Chi Foundation.

“Lately, most of the patients need blood. And we can hardly find blood donors,” said Ko Lin Lin.

Arakan State has seen a spike in dengue fever cases in the aftermath of the storm, with many patients needing blood transfusions.

“We have to reach out to around 20 people to get a bottle of blood,” said Ko Aung Zaw Lin, who is in charge of the Rakkha Taw Win blood donors association in Sittwe. “It has been very difficult to get blood at this time.”

Ma Yadanar Khine from the Shwe Garunar blood donors association in Kyauktaw also reported a similar situation.

A total of 963 dengue fever cases were reported in Arakan State from January through July 21, but without fatalities, according to the Arakan State Health Department.