REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) will cooperate with the country's Military (TNI) in natural disaster relief operations, blood donation services, health care, and other humanitarian tasks. The MoU is valid for five years and may be extended by further agreement.
PMI Chairman and Vice-President Jusuf Kalla and Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. Moeldoko signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Thursday.
TNI commander Gen. Moeldoko remarked that the military had always participated in disaster management and blood donation activities.
"We have proven it when 78,237 of our soldiers volunteered to donate blood; although only 69,330 soldiers could donate because of a shortage of blood bags," Moeldoko said.
Moeldoko pointed out that Indonesia's military was made of soldiers who shed blood to uphold the sovereignty of their country and assist humanity through blood donation.
"It is based on morals, conscience, and sincerity. So, we conduct blood donations," he added.
On the other hand, from a security or defense perspective, the cooperation should be developed in the context of defending the country and building a national spirit through reviving the Youth Red Cross (PMR), where it could be synergized with territorial management programs. In addition, Moeldoko noted, the PMI should also develop an early warning system to prevent the outbreak of deadly diseases such as Ebola, Mers, and others.
"This should also be in anticipation of biological weapons that can weaken or destroy the country," he emphasized.
PMI Chairman Jusuf Kalla expressed his gratitude while signing the cooperation agreement between the military and PMI. The Vice-President said that donating blood was not just a humanitarian gesture but also an evidence of a donor's good health.
"For donating blood, a person has to go through a number of tests. If he/she passes the test, it means he/she does not have diseases such as HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, or even Syphilis," Kalla explained.
Blood donations from military personnel can meet Indonesia's blood requirements for at least two months. Kalla remarked that the PMI still needed a lot of blood, and the blood requirement of Indonesia will increase with the progress of development projects.
"Moreover, the number of sick people has been increasing. The rising number of motor accidents has increased the demand for blood," he added.
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