Blood Donors in Cambodia
Blood donors are greatly needed for Cambodian children. Every day the hospital needs more than 150 units of blood, but there are not enough donors to meet this demand. While patients with severe anemia, glycaemia or leukemia require blood throughout the year, the need is even greater at the moment for children suffering dengue fever. With over 1000 cases of dengue annually, the hospital requires 120 to 150 bags of blood each month.
Related to the misconception of blood donations among the local, many eligible Cambodians are superstitious when it comes to blood donation and worrying that the loss of blood will make them weak. Thus, the hospital and Siem Reap Blood Bank Center still rely on foreigners to donate blood. When the tourist numbers drop, so too do donations.