By Nur ‘Aina Syazwina Badrul Hisham
IPOH, Sept 7 (Bernama) -- Rare blood management requires accurate identification and matching to ensure patients in need of transfusions receive the appropriate blood supply.
Permaisuri Bainun Hospital (HRPB) transfusion medicine specialist and Transfusion Medicine Department head Dr. Sarah Mat Noh said that blood is categorised as rare when its occurrence rate is around one in 1,000 individuals in a population.
She said that rare blood does not mean that a person has health problems, but rather refers to a specific characteristic of antigens on the surface of red blood cells that are rarely found in certain population.
Rare blood types are more difficult to obtain when a patient requires a transfusion because the number of donors with the same blood type is limited. Therefore, a registry of donors and patients is needed to facilitate the search for matching blood.
"The antigen characteristics on red blood cells are genetically determined and inherited from either the mother or father, causing a certain blood type to be considered rare in one population but more common in another," she said during the recent ‘Program Kembara Kesihatan Bersama Media’, organised by the Ministry of Health.
Dr. Sarah said that the ABO and Rhesus (Rh) blood groups are among the most commonly known, while there are about 43 blood group systems identified worldwide.
For rare blood types, donor red blood cells can be frozen at the National Blood Centre and stored for up to 10 years to be used when needed, either by the donor or by other patients with the same blood type.
In Perak, among the identified donors with rare blood types is Mohd Fazrey Erwan Mohd Rasidi, 35, who has the Opos, R1R1, KK phenotype, which is a combination of specific antigen characteristics on red blood cells that are rarely found.
Dr. Sarah said that for Mohd Fazrey Erwan, the KK characteristic means he has a K antigen that is different from the antigen characteristics commonly found in most individuals.
Mohd Fazrey Erwan said that he only found out he had that blood type at the end of last year after being contacted by the doctor following a blood test he had done.
"I was quite surprised when I first found out that my blood is rare. But I feel grateful and happy if my blood can help others," he said.
Mohd Fazrey Erwan has donated blood eight times since 2010, but he has never been specifically called for a patient in need of his blood.
"Don't stop donating as long as your health permits. Our blood may be rare (to find), but for certain patients, our blood is very valuable and may save lives," he said.
Meanwhile, the two siblings, Wan Muhammad Faaiz Jazuli and Wan Muhammad Ashraf Jazuli, each have Parabombay A and Parabombay B blood types, which are also among the rare blood groups.
Wan Muhammad Faaiz said he discovered he had Parabombay A blood after there was a discrepancy in the blood test results, which initially showed group A, before the laboratory test indicated group O.
"In a family of five, only my brother and I have different blood types, while the others are normal," he said.
Wan Muhammad Faaiz said that blood donation for that group depends on the need because hospitals may not require it regularly, but donors can be called upon when there are patients who need matching blood.
In Perak, so far there have been four identified Bombay blood group patients, while five Parabombay patients have been recorded in the register.
Meanwhile, there are four identified Parabombay donors in this state, involving Parabombay groups A, B and O.
The HRPB Transfusion Medicine Department is the only blood processing and screening centre in Perak that manages the processes of donation, processing, screening, storage, and stock management until the supply to hospitals.
The department provides at least 80 to 100 bags of blood daily for HRPB and up to 200 bags of blood for the needs in the state, including private hospitals in Ipoh.
-- BERNAMA