PETALING JAYA: Hospitals in the east coast states affected by the devastating floods are short of blood.

The Health Ministry made an urgent appeal yesterday for people to give blood at the National Blood Bank or any mobile collection unit.

Ministry director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah called for “the assistance and cooperation” of the people, after a Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre (CPRC) meeting yesterday.

Blood bank deputy director Datuk Dr Faraizah Abdul Karim also encouraged people to come forward.

“We really need volunteers to donate because (hospitals in) the affected areas have difficulty doing blood collection due to the floods.”

The blood bank is open from 7.30am to 5.30pm on Mondays to Wednesdays, 7.30am to 8pm on Thursdays and Fridays, and 8am to 4pm on weekends.

For a list of mobile blood collection units, go to pdn.gov.my. You can also call 03-2613 2657 or 03-2613 2658 during office hours.

The ministry also needs volunteers to help with clean-up operations at hospitals and clinics in the affected areas.

Those who want to help can call the CPRC hotline at 03-8881 0300.

The ministry is also checking the list of haemodialysis patients in Kelantan, the worst hit of the east coast states, which was estimated to number 1,115.

The number of mobile dental service units needed in that state was also being looked into.

As a precaution against outbreaks of infectious diseases, the Water Supply and Environmental Sanita­tion Unit under the ministry has initiated the chlorination of wells in Kelantan.

Medical personnel have also been deployed to help maintain hygiene and public health standards at flood relief centres.