Blood donation

[lahgon29]

Does anyone know If there is a blood register here for farangs? I looked at an old post from 2008 suggesting there might be one forthcoming for the private hospitals, but found no further updates. I've Googled the subject and came up with nothing worthwhile.
I'm O-, so is my daughter who visits me. 1% of Thai population is O- so I worry about possible future need in an emergency.
Also I wish to donate, but I'm not sure how to do It here. Any help appreciated.

[Macca]

I have given blood at Aek Udon hospital and also at thee large government hospital next to the main lake (sorry crap with names).
I'm pretty sure all hospitals would accept your blood donation.

[Khun Paul]

One of the problems here is that most of us according to the Thai medical System are too old to give blood. This is of course complete rubbish, but often they cannot be swayed to change their policy.
I do know that the system needs to be overhauled but the other problem is Thai themselves for reasons cultural donating blood although normal top us is for family only not for anyone, so although they may be screaming out for blood their Blood banks are low due to the attitude of the local population.
If one is a rare blood group it does make it a bit worrying
But Udon general Hospital does have a blood donation centre in Bldg 10 I believe.

[rick]

have to be under 60 to give blood in Thailand (i tried once at Nong Prajak). A private hospital may be different.....

[wazza]

One of the problems here is that most of us according to the Thai medical System are too old to give blood. This is of course complete rubbish, but often they cannot be swayed to change their policy.
.

KP need to be a bit careful here as UK donors are looked at very carefully :

If Lived in the UK for a total of 6 months or more between 1 Jan 1980 and 31 Dec 1996? - Sorry, you are ineligible to donate.

Thanks for your interest, but unfortunately you can't give blood.


In Australia the age limit is 70, subject to a medical screen , various medical conditions , including having had a tattoo done in the last 6 months and the above exclusion as well.

[lahgon29]

Thanks for the advice, guys..Plenty there to think about.

[maaka]

we have had the odd caller here looking for emergency blood donations for sick relatives, and the conflict with different cultural belief's and what not, but if I was a dude with rear blood type wanting to live here, I would look at storing my own blood supply for future emergencies, if that is possible..

[wazza]

Maaka

Its recommended in most developed countries now, to store some of your own blood for any projected elective surgery.

Blood as a live product only has a limited shelve life ( The Cells ) but numerous other by products can be spun off to obtain and use for other benefits, Plasma, Factor 8, etc

I would want to see how the private hospitals actually facilitate this, Do they have a "Blood " fridge ?? regulated temp ? Do they have written procedures, has the fridge got a power back up...

Sorry to put the brakes on Maaka, but better you know now, than when you might need it.

[maaka]

No skin off my nose Digger, I was just hinting to the Original Poster to consider the idea, and I think your reply was as much to him, as it was me. It just had my name on it..hahaha

when its your own blood, I guess you can replenish your own stocks when the sell by date is up..Just kick back in your Lazy Boy and top up the Glad Freezer Bag, and biff it in the icebox..sort of thing..but you would need a standby generator for them daily power cuts no doubt...

[Khun Paul]

I have given blood here, as I am O Neg I am rare trust me, I know their systems, in fact I was one of the ones who got Udon Hospital to gear up to take blood from foreigners, I now have a senior friend in the Ministry of health Udon Thani province, and I will tackle him about this as he agreed with me, when he was deputy that the system was flawed now he is the boss maybe he can change it.
With regard to those from the UK all westerners come under the same spotlight, due in part to the way they live here and possible side effects from their blood, but trust me if you are rare as I am you get rung to give blood no matter what as only 0.3% of Thai have O neg and if they're ill, they need it now not next week.

[wazza]

KP

The reason why UK citizens in that era are excluded in developed Blood donation systems is CJD, nothing to do with age or HIV status, which is checked in all transfusions, not just expats.

You might like to ask your friend , why he allows UK citizens to donate despite Red Cross International having this as a policy for exclusion.

Thailand probably has less population that have received vaccinations for Hep B, than developed countries therefore the Expat status is actually higher, when it comes to this blood borne transmission.

If your friend is going to overseer a community blood transfusion service, based on a gender and nationality bias, then he is in deed in breach of some serious ethical standards.

[GT93]

I'd strongly prefer not to take blood from a Brit according to CJD guidelines. I also wouldn't give blood myself because of past (hopefully) health problems. There must be lots of people like me. Even if the medical advice was that I'm now OK given the passage of time to donate blood, I don't like the thought of possibly passing problems on to others.

I think my step-grandson is O negative and he has Thalassemia so he needs blood transfusions. Only a couple a year now thank Buddha. He's visited NZ a couple of times and I enquired about a transfusion here and I think one transfusion was going to be 65,000 baht. One reason it was pricey was because of his rare blood type. It would be free to a NZer. I think ideally he'd be receiving blood in Thailand from young people. They are less likely to be carrying diseases?

I suspect many countries struggle for blood donors. What the hell happens in the UK? Does it come in from abroad? Or only from young Brits?

[rick]

GT, UK blood is mainly used within the UK. Some may come from abroad, but not much. The risk from nvCJD is really pretty low - it mainly showed up due to haemophiliacs, who use blood factor pooled from many donations. if you are just having one transfusion, the risk is very, very low. The number of new people diagnosed with Nv-CJD is now down to 2 per year, and most were actually infected a long time ago, when beef wasn't safe, rather than from blood (which is treated to reduce risk anyway now).

[Raoul Duke]

Good Morning.
Has anyone recently donated blood in Udon?
I'm wanting to donate.
I appreciate any advice.
Cheers.

[Doodoo]

https://english.redcross.or.th/node/49

Apparently one can donate up until the age of 70 Of course with anything there are guidelines to be followed

[Drunk Monkey]

i have recently donated blood twice at the General Hospital..

Friday i had a call saying my blood group is low in stock so this morning i popped in and donated again.. i didnt go at the weekend as had a few beers , process was so easy took longer to park in the multi storey then actually giving the blood.

Im A neg so any members the same and able to donate why not pop in... the blood donation unit is in a narrow corridor next to the hospitals pharmacy on the ground floor not the side where Amazon is the other... if you go alone ask for the English language form to complete all the ones in the tray outside are in Thai.

DM

[Khun Paul]

Well done dM, sadly their rules are archaic and stop many g5ood blood groups form being donated. Many many years ago I tackled this problem with the then Chief medical officer friend of mine in Udon, he has since moved on and the old age barrier was re-instated, as they dismiss the obvious fact that foreigners are far better ion their 70's than most Thais are at 60+

Part of the problem is the Thai RTed Cross will not change no matter what therefore often denying that there is a p[roblem anmd constantly seeking assistance for Blood donations. The last time a call went out for O neg ( mine ) I offered to donate, but they refused and were worried than the person might die. I was there and they still refused.

[parrot]

The Thai Red Cross shows age 70 as the upper limit as shown at
https://blooddonationthai.com/th/%e0%b8 ... %e0%b8%b4/
FWIW......a variety of hospitals around the country have a variety of rules about age.....some 60, some 65, some 70.
US upper limit seems to be 75.

It might be worth a visit to the Red Cross center in Udon......perhaps Val's wife is still working with the Red Cross and can clarify.

Ultimately, if there's an age limit, it is what it is.......browsing through many photos of people donating in Udon, I've yet to see one with gray hair......if that's any indication. Jon, you're excused as I don't think your grays are showing.

[parrot]

More info on age
https://blooddonationthai.com/wp-conten ... nglish.pdf

[sometimewoodworker]

I suspect many countries struggle for blood donors. What the hell happens in the UK? Does it come in from abroad? Or only from young Brits?

As mentioned the vast majority of blood and blood products in the U.K. are from people living there, until I moved overseas I was donating about every 3 weeks, I lived near the main hospital the Edgware Donor Centre,(I would almost qualify for my wedged plate and have my bronze (10), silver (25), and gold (50) pins) I have donated in Japan a few times but never in Thailand. I was on the list for a platelet donner but never got called, the majority of my donations took an hour to an hour and a quarter depending on the volume of water and coffee I had drunk the night before