Youth blood donor rate in S’pore continues downward trend, posing challenge amid ageing population

SINGAPORE – When Charmaine Tan turned 16, she was eager to follow in her parents’ footsteps and be a regular blood donor.

She also wanted to spread the word, and began volunteering with the Singapore Red Cross’ youth donor recruitment initiative YouthInspire.

Now 18, and having donated blood three times, the soon-to-be university student hopes to inspire her peers to do the same.

Her role is an important one, as new figures show the proportion of youth blood donors – aged 16 to 25 – continuing on its downward trend.

In 2025, there were more than 9,600 youth donors, making up about 12 per cent of the donor pool, according to Health Sciences Authority (HSA) figures released in January 2026. This is down from 28 per cent in 2015.

Blood donors made up 1.3 per cent of Singapore’s population in 2025. On the whole, the total number of blood donors grew nearly 9 per cent – from 71,277 in 2015, to 77,567 in 2025.

In the same period, total blood donations rose almost 12 per cent, from 122,048 units to 136,172 units.

The demographic profile of the donor population mirrors Singapore’s ageing population trend, said HSA.

The median donor age has gone up

from 34 years in 2015, to 40 years in 2025. And while the largest donor cohort in 2015 was the 21 to 30 age group, the largest group in 2025 was between the ages of 31 and 40.

One in four Singaporeans is expected to be aged 65 or older by 2030, up from one in 10 in 2010.

Challenges of demographic shift

HSA said the demographic shift intensifies the challenge for the National Blood Programme, which marks its 80th anniversary in 2026.

A shrinking youth donor population and the increasing number of seniors, who may be ineligible to donate as they develop health conditions, may cause the donor pool to shrink.

Patients over the age of 60 account for about 60 per cent of Singapore’s blood consumption, according to a study conducted by HSA in 2023.

HSA said: “Blood demand will increase as more in the ageing population will need blood transfusions as part of their medical treatments.

“This underscores the importance of our youth outreach initiatives to cultivate the next generation of donors and ensure long-term blood security.”

Falling participation among youth may reflect their waning interest in blood donation, said the Singapore Red Cross, which oversees the recruitment of blood donors here.

“Blood donation has not yet become an integrated lifestyle choice for many,” it added.

Undergraduate Ethan Sia, 23, who has donated blood five times, holds a similar view. “It’s probably not seen as cool” and “just doesn’t really come up in conversations”, he said.

Another reason could be the fear of needles and the misconception that blood donation is painful, said Charmaine.

Upping the fun factor

To try to attract more youth donors, the Singapore Red Cross has held events that appeal to young people’s interests – think concerts, collectibles and cultural events.

A partnership with toy company Pop Mart to give out blind boxes to blood donors between Oct 2 and Nov 7 in 2025 attracted more new youth donors when compared with the same period in 2024, the Singapore Red Cross said.

In June 2024, it launched the YouthInspire programme, which organises ground-up initiatives to encourage peer-to-peer donor recruitment with the help of young volunteers like Charmaine.

In 2025, Charmaine helped run the Gracie Abrams Blood Donation Drive, which was hosted in collaboration with singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams’ fan club before her Singapore concert.

Together with Red Cross Youth, the team of YouthInspire volunteers also helped to organise a Halloween-themed blood donation drive that year.

Both events attracted more than 200 participants collectively, with nearly 20 per cent of them stepping forward to donate blood, said the Singapore Red Cross.

Charmaine said: “The main purpose of these themed events is to allow people to have fun while being able to do something meaningful.”

Beyond recruitment, it is just as important to encourage young donors to return regularly, said Associate Professor Lina Lim from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.

She suggested measures such as repeat invitations to donate and more convenient scheduling of donations.

“In addition, examining why some young donors do not continue donating after their first experience may help identify targeted interventions to support long-term participation,” Prof Lim added.

The Singapore Red Cross said it recognises that “building donation habits requires consistent relationship building over time”.

“While our current blood supply remains adequate for patient needs, building a sustainable donor base for Singapore’s future remains a key priority demanding continued innovation in our recruitment and retention approaches.

“We will continue to monitor the situation and adjust our strategies accordingly,” it added.