The country's blood bank wants donors to be honest and declare any health problems they may have before making a deposit.

The Thai Red Cross Society says it is now asking donors to fill out a questionnaire so it can assess chances for infection.

In the questionnaire, donors are asked about health, their sleep patterns, diet and toilet habits over the past seven days. It wants to know if you have lost weight, are taking medication or drugs, have any diseases like hepatitis and, most importantly, are having risky sex.

The society's national blood-centre boss, Dr Soisa-ang Pikulsod, says the questionnaire is "a preliminary prevention measure" to make sure only good blood is taken and there is no risk to transfusion patients.

"We want to protect patients who receive donor blood," she says. "We send donor blood for lab tests to check for contamination - but that's not enough."

Soisa-ang explains that comprehensive tests take 22 days. This is why the society wants donors to take some responsibility by answering the questionnaire. It requires yes or no answers only. But, if you fail, you can't give blood.

"We understand you want to make merit, but you have to understand your responsibility to the recipients."

After looking at the questionnaire, Anuwat Damri, 28, says he's not convinced the survey will screen out bad blood.

"People could lie," he says. "The questionnaire does not convince me the blood at the Red Cross is pure, but at the end of the day it's got to be lab tested. So, for me the questionnaire is a waste of time."

Xtra

in the red

>> The Red Cross pays Bt600 for the test of each unit of donor blood.

>> Blood containers cost Bt400 each.

By Pongphon Sarnsamak

Daily Xpress