I've seen a few public appeals recently for blood donors as stocks were running low. As a regular donor myself, I think the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) can do better in informing people about donor eligibility.

First, donors who meet the minimum haemoglobin levels are allowed to make an early donation 10 weeks after their last donation instead of waiting the usual 12 weeks for whole blood donation.

Regular donors, those who make walk-in inquiries, and those who call HSA blood banks for information on eligibility are told about the shorter period.

Frequent donors and those who donate earlier are tested to ensure they have enough iron in their body.

But many donors who meet the requirements to donate early do not know that they are eligible to do so and defer their visit, even as blood bank stock levels are running low.

Second, many think that the donor requirements are too stringent. A common misconception is that those with tattoos cannot donate blood. People can in fact donate blood 12 months after getting a non-sterile body piercing or tattoo done.

Information can be found on the A-Z eligibility list on HSA's website.

Third, some question the cost of blood transfusions at hospitals. They feel that their donation, an altruistic act, is used for money-making purposes.

The authorities could assure the public that the costs of blood products at hospitals are not marked up, as there are many costs involved with collecting, testing, separating and storing blood.

I hope that more people will step forward to donate blood when the blood bank runs low, and that stocks will return to healthy levels soon.

Teo Chen Wei, 20

Year 1 undergraduate