SPEECH BY MDM RAHAYU MAHZAM, MINISTER OF STATE, MDDI AND MOH, AT THE BLOODBANK@WESTGATE TOWER’S 10TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Adj Prof (Dr) Raymond Chua, Chief Executive Officer, Health Sciences Authority (HSA)

Ms Charis Chan, Assistant Secretary General/Operations, Singapore Red Cross (SRC)

Partners, Volunteers, Donors and HSA colleagues

1        Good evening and thank you for inviting me to this wonderful celebration of the 10th anniversary of Bloodbank@Westgate Tower.  I must say the view is truly spectacular and I can certainly understand why donors will enjoy coming to this location. You can actually sit and donate while you enjoy the beautiful view.

2        What truly impresses me is that over 630 donors have maintained their commitment by donating at least once annually at Bloodbank@Westgate Tower over the past decade. We are honoured to have three such dedicated donors with us today. Mr Lam Seng Tat, Mr Lee Kok Heng and Mr Tang Ka Fai exemplify this remarkable dedication. Mr Lam has donated an extraordinary 131 times, Mr Lee has reached the significant milestone of 100 donations, whilst Mr Tang has contributed 79 times. What draws them to Bloodbank@Westgate Tower is its convenient location near their homes, making regular donation a sustainable part of their lives. Indeed, they have truly inspired me. I don’t live too far off, I’m in the West, and so I am going to be pledging to donate more regularly.

3        Each donor's journey began differently, yet led to the same generous outcome. Mr Lam started his donation journey during his national service, whilst Mr Lee was inspired to begin when a colleague required a blood transfusion. Mr Tang simply wanted to help. Despite their different starting points, they share a common motivation: the desire to help someone in need. Their stories remind us that the spirit of blood donation thrives because of such acts of compassion. Thank you, gentlemen, for your kind-heartedness and generous contributions that have touched countless lives over the years.

Enhanced ‘Adopt a Bloodbank’ Programme

4        The 'Adopt a Bloodbank' programme, launched in 2023, aims to cultivate a sustainable pool of regular donors in the vicinity of our Bloodbanks. Since its launch, we have welcomed 35 adopters across all five Bloodbanks, with seven organisations proudly adopting Bloodbank@Westgate Tower. They include KINDS Family, Lubrizol Southeast Asia, Republic of Singapore Air Force 6th Divisional Air Defence Artillery Battalion, Singapore Armed Forces Combat Service Support Command, SAF Personnel Hub West, and the Digital and Intelligence Service, Joint Intelligence Command. Collectively, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all these organisations for their commitment to organising blood donation drives at least once a year, turning social responsibility into life-saving action.

5        We recognise that workplaces are an important nucleus where Singaporeans spend significant portions of their lives. These settings naturally foster the bonds of community and mutual care that are essential to our social fabric. When colleagues come together to donate blood, they transcend their professional roles to become guardians of our society’s well-being, strengthening the very connections that bind us as one people. This is the transformative power of workplace volunteerism. Through such acts of collective service, we reaffirm our societal commitment to leaving no one behind.

6        To encourage more corporates to participate in this programme, HSA has enhanced the programme to a four-tier framework that acknowledges organisational commitment whilst encouraging deeper engagement with blood donation initiatives. It creates a structured approach that recognises organisations based on their sustained commitment and measurable impact on their recruitment efforts. Beyond public recognition from HSA and SRC, plus digital badges for display on websites, social media, and digital platforms, organisations in the top two tiers can showcase their products and services at their adopted Bloodbanks, such as sponsorship of products for donors, and enjoy discounted SRC training courses. Top-tier organisations also receive profiling opportunities on SRC platforms.

Blood Partners Recognition

7        Beyond organising drives and group bookings, organisations have also expressed interest to support the National Blood Programme in other ways such as sponsoring products, offering advertising space, and sharing expertise to help attract more donors and promote Singapore's blood donation culture. These partnerships allow us to leverage the unique strengths and resources of different organisations to create a more vibrant and engaging blood donation ecosystem.

8        In recognition of this vital support, we will be launching a new Blood Partner Award to be presented at next year's World Blood Donor Day. This award will celebrate organisations that support the National Blood Programme through their varied contributions. We encourage interested partners to reach out to the Singapore Red Cross to explore how they can contribute their expertise and resources to this important cause.

Conclusion

9        Today, we celebrate far more than an anniversary – we celebrate a community united in purpose and compassion. Whether it’s our dedicated donors like Mr Lam, Mr Lee and Mr Tang, our supportive corporate partners, our dedicated staff, or every single donor who has walked through these doors, you have all contributed to something truly extraordinary, saving lives who need blood or supporting us whenever there are blood shortages. We strongly encourage individuals and organisations to step forward to donate and to do so regularly so that we have a secure and sustainable blood supply. 

10      As we look to the future, I am confident that together we will continue to strengthen Singapore's lifeline and build a culture of giving that truly defines who we are as a nation. On this special occasion, I would like to wish Bloodbank@Westgate Tower a very happy 10th anniversary. Thank you for your remarkable contributions, and here's to many more years of life-saving impact and community spirit.