Blood Donation in Balikpapan

Everyone who knows me, is aware of how important blood donation is to me. Not only have I worked within the UK Blood Transfusion Services for 4 years, I have also donated 13 times in the UK....and now once in Indonesia!

Whilst the procedure was essentially the same in Balikpapan as I have experienced in Cardiff, Southampton, Maidenhead and Aberdeen (ie you lie down whilst someone fills a bag up with your blood, and then you have a cup of tea), the similarities end here.

First, there is the donor interview. No four page questionnaire in Indonesia, checking that you haven't had sex with an orang utan, you just have to fill in a small form with a few details. In actual fact, as long as you know your name, phone number and blood group you can donate - not easy given that all the questions are in Indonesian, and of course no-one speaks English! Hold the pointer over each word in the form to get an English translation of the questions asked....

Then, you wait until a bed (and it actually is a bed, the same as we have in our house) becomes free for your donation. Again, forget about having your finger pricked for testing heamaglobin - this doesn't seem to be particularly important.

Whilst waiting to give blood, I chatted to an Indonesian donor, who found it amazing that the UK system relies entirely on voluntary donors, and that however many blood shortages there may be, the UK never actually runs out of blood. In Indonesia, if you have an accident requiring blood, you are responsible for replacing this blood by organising donations from members of your family.

It was in fact as soon as I sat on the bed that I realised my folly, and started to 'Remember Where I Was'. Back in the UK, I would not consider blood donation without anaesthetic, and think that those who do (ie Alex) are really stupid. But as the attendant came towards me with a huge needle and no anaesthetic, I knew it was too late. I would have to grin and bear it, and try not to scream as she put the needle into my arm. (Actually, it wasn't too bad...)

Because Indonesians are generally smaller than us Brits, they use smaller bags to collect the blood - the ones they have only hold 250ml, or about half a UK donation. (On a technical note, the bags were all single packs, and so I assume there is no processing, although it could be that this only happens with blood collected in Jakarta). By now, I had come far enough through the procedure to realise that the blood bag wouldn't be weighed, or the donation timed - more quality measures we take for granted in the UK.

After about five minutes, my bag was full, and the attendant took the needle out of my arm (hurray!) She put an elastoplast over the hole in my arm, left me for a few minutes to recover before letting me go for a cup of coffee. She just about remembered to squeeze a drop of my blood into a tube for testing - I know they test for microbiology (definitely HIV), but I couldn't be sure that blood groups are confirmed....

So how do I feel having given blood in Indonesia, knowing that standards fall so short of what we expect in the UK? Although the quality of the blood collected may not be as high as that in the UK, as a well nourished donor with no relevant medical history, I wasn't too worried about giving - the packs were all single use and sterile, and my arm was cleansed with alcohol before the needle was inserted. The system may not be perfect, but then little in Indonesia is: in a country were poverty and corruption are the norm, it's good to be able to give something that may benefit (save the life of) someone in genuine need, and not line the pockets of some corrupt official.