Taipei, July 14 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian urged the public Monday to donate blood to replenish the country's blood bank, which is drying up.
Receiving a group of donors who have each donated blood more than 200 times, the president admired their donations, saying they set a good example for others.
Although the country boasts a high percentage of blood donors, Chen said, the amount of blood in Taiwan's blood bank has sunk so low that there is an average of 5.7 days' supply, far below the safe reserve of seven days'. This, according to Chen, is a result of the recent severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreaks.
In order to encourage the public to donate blood, the president himself made a donation July 10.
Among the group of blood donors received by the president Monday, one had donated blood 480 times and five are women.