THE blood bank is not running on empty yet. But it is getting there.

It has dipped into its reserves, said the Singapore Red Cross Society, which collects blood for all hospitals.

'Usually, we have a two-day buffer but, now, we have less than a day,' said the director of its blood-donor recruitment programme, Madam Cecilia Tan.

The school holidays, the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and last month's General Election have all meant that less blood has been collected in recent weeks.

The society has managed to collect only 130 units of blood a day, 20 per cent less than in previous months and a far cry from the 200 units a day that it needs, said Ms Carol Teo, the programme's communications manager.

She said it usually runs short in November, December and January because it does not get the usual donations from students, who make up 11 per cent of the donors.

'Many people also go away on holiday. And because it's Ramadan, Muslim donors are fasting and therefore unable to contribute,' she said.

Muslims make up about 12 per cent of all donors.

And this year, the General Election affected its mobile blood-donation drives, said Madam Tan.

'We had to cancel our three-day drive as the community centres had to prepare for voting. And the blood bank was closed on Nov 3, as it was a public holiday.

'This was an opportunity loss of 400 units, which is two-days' supply.'

She said the situation in November last year was not as bad, as many people went to help the victims of the Singapore Airlines SQ006 crash. The society collected about 7,000 units of blood then.

But it is a different story last month. So far, the society has managed to collect about 4,000 units, which is below its target of 5,400.

The hospitals have used about 5,000 units, making the situation critical.

As such, the society has embarked on several blood-donation drives this month, starting at Safra Toa Payoh yesterday. The drive netted 61 units.

Said Madam Tan: 'Christmas is about the spirit of giving, so we hope that people can give their blood, which is the gift of life.'

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Where you can go to donate

Today: Mahaprajna Buddhist Society at 11, Lorong 35, Geylang, from 10 am to 4 pm

Thursday, Dec 6: Fullerton Hotel, from 12 pm to 6 pm

Sunday, Dec 9: Marsiling Zone 8 RC at Block 363, Woodlands Avenue 5, #01-440, from 9 am to 2 pm; and Bishan North Zone 4 RC, Block 261, Bishan Street 22, #01-253, from 9 am to 3 pm

Tuesday, Dec 18: DBS Bank at 12, Tampines Central 1, from 10 am to 4 pm

Saturday, Dec 22 and Sunday, Dec 23: Heeren at 260, Orchard Road, from 1 pm to 5 pm

Sunday, Dec 23: Changi Simei Community Club at 10, Simei Street 2, from 10 am to 4 pm

Sunday, Dec 30: Braddell Heights Zone D RC at Block 204, Serangoon Central, from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm; and Punggol South Zone 10 RC at Block 913, Street 91, #01-43, from 10 am to 3 pm For more information, call 220-0183 or log on to donorweb.org