The development of blood services in Singapore

The Singapore Blood Transfusion Service (BTS) collects, processes and distributes blood and blood components to all hospitals. It also provides clinical and diagnostic haematological services to the hospitals. Blood donation is based on an entirely voluntary system. Blood donor incentives include a scheme of medical benefits for regular blood donors. Major advances in the 1960s include the introduction of disposable plastic blood packs for blood collections which permitted blood components to be prepared in a closed system. The development of a mobile blood collection service has enabled many more donor sources to be tapped. Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) screening of blood donors was introduced in 1973 as local studies showed that HBsAg positive blood was associated with a high risk of hepatitis. HBsAg positive donors are permanently excluded from the donor panel. BTS provides reference services for Immunohaematology, Coagulation problems, a clinical and diagnostic haematology service and a haemophilia centre. A computerized system of blood donor call up and the introduction of automation in the transfusion and haematology laboratories have helped BTS cope with an increasing volume of work and at the same time restrain manpower increases.