Blood donation
Blood donation is a safe process. The average adult has 4 to 5 litres of blood. During a donation, only 350 to 450 ml of blood is drawn. About 8% to 12% of your blood volume (depending on your weight) will be taken during blood donation. The fluid (plasma) portion of your donated blood will be replaced in a few days.
Whole blood donations collect the blood with all its components, while apheresis donations collect specific blood components such as plasma or platelets.
In 2021, we collected 114,471 whole blood and 9,946 apheresis donations. View the Big Blood Picture 2021. 3355KB
Click here for the common misconceptions on blood donation.
Blood components
Blood is made up of:
| 55% |
45% |
Plasma: the liquid portion of blood, containing mostly water, electrolytes, nutrients, and proteins such as antibodies and clotting factors.
|
- Red blood cells: helps carry oxygen and carbon dioxide to organs and tissue
- Platelets: helps blood clot
- White blood cells: helps the body fight infections
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Blood needs
In 2022, 14 units of blood are required every hour in Singapore. That is 325 units every day or 118,750 units in the year.
What blood is used for
| Usage |
Percentage (%) |
| General Surgery |
54 |
| General medicine |
31 |
| Haematology (blood diseases) |
9 |
| Accidents and emergencies |
6 |
HSA keeps 9 days stockpile of blood supply to ensure sufficient blood supply during times of emergency.
Blood donors
In 2021 we had 69,032 donors. This was only 1.73% of the residential population.
28% were 1st time donors; 42% were regular donors and 20% were youth (25 years of age and below) donors.
- The highest number of donations by a single person stands at 321
- 23 donors have made their 200th donation
- 95 donors have made their 100th donation
Collection by blood type
In 2021, we received the following % of blood types: