DENPASAR, BALINEWS – The Bali Provincial General Elections Commission (KPU Bali) collected 53 units of blood during a blood donation drive held on Friday (November 6, 2026), as part of its 73rd anniversary celebrations.
The event, themed "A Drop of Blood, A Million Hopes," took place at the Bali KPU office and involved participants from the provincial and regency/municipal KPU offices, members of the public, and journalists.
Members of the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Online Journalists Association (IWO) also took part, including its chairperson, Tri Widiyanti, and members of the organization's public relations team.
I Wayan Gede Budiartha, Head of Planning, Data, Information, Public Participation, Public Relations and Human Resources at Bali KPU, said the blood donation drive was a form of social responsibility and a tangible contribution to the community.
He expressed hope that the initiative would continue through cooperation with the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) Bali.
"We hope to continue working with the Bali Provincial PMI to organize activities that bring meaningful benefits to the wider community," Budiartha said.
According to Budiartha, 75 people registered for the blood donation program. However, only 53 passed the medical screening conducted by the PMI team and were eligible to donate blood.
Dr. Nyoman Sastri, Head of Blood Donation Services at the Bali Provincial PMI, explained that each eligible donor could donate one blood bag containing approximately 350 milliliters.
The 53 collected blood bags therefore amounted to approximately 18.55 liters of blood.
Sastri said the collected blood would be distributed to hospitals across Denpasar. The PMI would also supply hospitals in other regencies whenever they experienced shortages.
She revealed that Denpasar alone requires nearly 130 units of blood every day, making public participation and cooperation with various organizations essential to maintaining adequate blood supplies.
"We hope all organizations and members of the public will regularly organize blood donation activities in collaboration with the Bali Provincial PMI," Sastri said.
She also encouraged eligible donors to donate blood regularly, at least once every three months, to help meet hospitals' demand.
Although blood supplies are currently considered sufficient, Sastri warned that shortages could occur during the upcoming Christmas and New Year holiday period.
Based on previous years' experience, the holiday season often presents challenges in maintaining adequate blood stocks.
The PMI is therefore encouraging regular donors to remain active and urging organizations that have not previously held blood donation drives to participate in similar humanitarian initiatives.
The blood donation event was part of the celebrations marking the 73rd anniversary of the General Elections Commission, which falls on November 7, 2026.
