I hope this article would be good enough for singapore males still living in self-denial to realize the wonders of SAF and National Slavery ! WTG doctor!
Dec 13, 2005
NSmen under pressure to donate blood
I REFER to the article, 'Five HIV blood donors jailed for lying' (ST, Dec

. I note that two of the offenders had donated blood in army-camp drives.
I had previously worked with the Blood Transfusion Service and had been involved in many blood-donation drives, among which were those organised with Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) army camps.
As a medical doctor in charge of those drives, I noted that the superiors in some camps granted each serviceman who donated half a day off.
Other units were promised weekends off (that was before SAF implemented the five-day work week) if the blood-donation drives hit their targeted number of donors.
I did not doubt the altruism of these army superiors who wanted to ensure successful blood-donation drives, but in doing so they overlooked the power of peer pressure. Having also been an army serviceman, I had experienced the power of peer pressure and how it could coerce one into doing something one would not normally do.
In this instance, if a serviceman was found unsuitable to donate blood, he might have to provide a reasonable excuse when questioned by his peers or superiors. He might be embarrassed or even ostracised if he told the truth.
Secondly, if the army camp tagged on a reward for each donation given, the pressure to donate blood mounted. It was most demoralising when one did not get to book out of camp while other camp mates got to enjoy a half day off for making a donation.
Furthermore, if an entire unit had been promised a 'long' weekend off for meeting the target number of donors, every serviceman would be even more pressurised to donate blood.
Enjoying a long weekend might not be the most important thing in such an instance. What mattered was that one did not get blamed and ostracised for being among the few who cost the entire unit the enjoyment of a long weekend.
Donating blood is an altruistic act that relies heavily on the sincerity, truthfulness and responsibility of each donor. However, in many instances, strong external influences and 'obligations' force unsuitable donors to lie to get through the pre-donation screening.
Organisers of blood-donation drives should refrain from pressurising potential donors through the use of rewards. They must understand that there will always be some people who will not be suitable candidates to donate blood, whether because of health reasons or an unsuitable travel or sexual history. Whatever the case, their reasons are private ones and should remain so.
While I acknowledge that the SAF has made major contributions to our nation's blood supply, and I do not ascribe blame to the army camps which organised the donation drives in which the two offenders participated, I hope the SAF will modify the way it rewards its servicemen for donating blood so that blood donation becomes a more altruistic activity that contributes to safer blood products for patient-recipients.
Dr Tan Hong Wui
Need more proof to show how NSmen are treated like slaves of the country instead of soldiers? as leaching your labor and money isn't enough now they want to leach your blood dry!