Red Cross to build blood bag factory

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 07/15/2011

The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) plans to build a blood bag factory in order to supply blood bags throughout the country.

PMI signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with PT. Ocean Media Link, on Friday, to construct the factory.

“In the past, we’ve been importing blood bags. By building our own factory, we can meet the demand for blood bags on our own," PMI chairman, Jusuf Kalla, said as quoted by tribunnews.com

The commissioner for PT. Ocean Media Link, Tatat Rahmita, said that the factory was still in undergoing an assessment process.

It is expected to cost Rp 70 billion (US$8.2 million) to build.

“We expect the factory to start operating in 2012 and it will be capable of producing between 10 million and 12 million blood bags annually," he said.

PMI, according to Tatat, would only need between 3 million and 4 million per year, therefore the surplus can be exported to ASEAN markets.

During the agreement signing, PMI also launched 100 new Red Cross mobile minibuses for the collection of blood donations.

“Currently, we only have 20 minibuses but we expect to deliver 100 more units over the coming seven months,” Kalla said.