SINGAPORE – Mr Lian Tian Teng is pumped for his 235th blood donation in a week’s time.
While he is among Singapore’s more prolific donors, the 61-year-old is hoping to induct fresh blood among peers his age.
Since Jan 2, the upper age limit for first-time blood donors in Singapore has been raised from 60 to 65, in a move to expand the city-state’s blood supply in tandem with longer life expectancy and better health in older age.
The change means that new donors can give blood up to one day before their 66th birthday, while repeat donors can continue to do so until the age of 75, up to one day before their 76th birthday. Donors must, in general, be in good health, free of infection symptoms and weigh at least 45kg.
Local data showed that adverse donor reactions such as fainting and dizziness
decrease among first-time donors
as they get older.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung had announced the change in June 2025.
The new age limit also aligns with practices in jurisdictions such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Ireland, the Netherlands, South Korea and Britain, which generally allow first-time donors aged 65 to 69.
Mr Lian, a Tower Transit facilities executive, said he has been encouraging his friends to give blood donation a try. “There is no need to fear – the environment is so cosy and the expertise of the nurses makes it a good experience,” said the regular donor at Bloodbank@HSA in Outram.
While a handful of new donors in this age group have come forward, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said it is hopeful that the move will see many more seniors like Mr Lian contribute to Singapore’s national blood programme.
Mr Lian Tian Teng, 61, is hoping to bring in fresh blood among peers his age.
ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
HSA chief executive Raymond Chua said: “With our ageing population, it is crucial that we tap every safe opportunity to expand our donor pool while maintaining the highest safety standards for both donors and recipients.”
Meanwhile, efforts to recruit younger donors are starting to bear fruit. The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) noted that there have been close to 900 sign-ups for the YouthInspire club from December 2024 to November 2025.
The club, launched in 2024 to encourage those aged 16 to 25 to donate blood, organises ground-up activities to encourage peer-to-peer donor recruitment.
SRC also held its own youth-centric roadshows, working with schools and institutions of higher learning to promote and educate young people on the importance of blood donation, and to dispel misconceptions such as blood donation being painful.
In 2023, SRC launched the YOUTHphoria award on World Blood Donor Day to inspire more young people to donate blood regularly. It has also rolled out digital initiatives like the DonateBlood app, as well as the HeyBloodBuddy account on Instagram and TikTok to engage the next generation of potential donors.
In 2024, those aged 25 and below accounted for 14 per cent of the total donor pool. This was a decline from 2011, when one in three blood donors was a young person.
Mr Prakash Menon, group director for SRC’s blood donor programme, said that getting more youth to donate blood will be a long-term effort.
“Drawing from our learnings in 2025, we will scale up successful initiatives while refining our approach,” he said. “Our focus remains on engaging donors across all age groups through upcoming events, including the National Blood Programme’s 80th anniversary celebrations in 2026.”
Overall donor numbers typically fall during festive periods, school holidays and long weekends. This is because many people travel overseas and become ineligible to donate blood for a period depending on the countries or regions they visit. For instance, donors who have travelled to places with insect-borne diseases may be ineligible to donate for up to four months after their return.
Adjunct Professor Chua said: “The early part of the year, especially around Chinese New Year, tends to be challenging, and we hope more will step forward to ensure the country has stable blood reserves. Every donation will make a critical difference for many patients across Singapore.
“We hope that with such changes to age, and with our five blood banks located islandwide at Dhoby Ghaut, Jurong East, Outram, Punggol and Woodlands, more people across all ages would step forward.”
The Republic had just under 80,000 donors in 2024, or about 1.3 per cent of the population, according to latest available data.
In 2025, 14 units of blood were required every hour in Singapore, or about 120,000 units for the year. A standard donation yields one unit, or about 350ml to 450ml.
Mr Lian, the veteran blood donor, said he will keep exercising and watching his diet so that he can give blood for as long as possible.
“What keeps me going? It’s my passion and the knowledge that my little contribution can make a difference in saving lives,” he said.
Those who wish to donate blood can book a slot today through the DonateBlood app or at
hsa.gov.sg/make_an_appt