BEAUFORT (Mar 24): People still turned up to donate blood to the Beaufort Hospital despite the recent floods as evidenced by the collection of 125 bags of blood.

According to Beaufort Hospital director Dr Sutharsan a/l Kannan, the extraordinary commitment of donors who came at night is highly appreciated. Their presence ensures an adequate blood supply for the upcoming festive week.

“During the major flood on March 9, blood collection was affected as planned donation programs had to be canceled due to rapidly rising water levels and unusable locations,” he said.

Dr Sutharsan made these remarks during the 2025 Ramadan Blood Donation Program, jointly organized by Y&Y Group, Skuad Ar-Rayyan Sabah, Kedai Kim Hin and the hospital, at the Outpatient Department here last Saturday.

“The hospital is deeply grateful for the contributions and roles played by the organizing partners and individual donors in making this program a success. It not only involved blood donation but also included an iftar meal for the donors,” he added.

He further mentioned, “To address the previous blood shortage, nearby hospitals also helped maintain Beaufort Hospital’s blood stock. Additionally, an emergency blood donation drive was held at night, organized by the Hung Men Beaufort Friendship Association, targeting Health Ministry staff around Beaufort.”

Appreciation was also extended to several organizers, including St Paul’s Church Beaufort, the Hung Men Beaufort Friendship Association, and the Malaysian Red Crescent Society Beaufort District, which held blood donation programs on March 16.

Regarding the upcoming Aidilfitri celebration, Dr Sutharsan urged donors to continue visiting the hospital’s blood bank and participating in upcoming programs, such as those in Kg Mentulud on April 12 and Kg Suasa on April 13. For more information, follow Beaufort Hospital’s official Facebook page.

Also present at the event were Y&Y Group representative Lee Kim Yoong, medical officer and head of the blood bank team Dr Norilmi Juzuli, and chairman of Skuad Ar-Rayyan Sabah, Laiman Abdullah.