Appeal for more blood donors

The National Blood Bank handled 16,500 blood donations last year, costing it Lm850,000 to screen and process.

Today it is appealing for more blood donors because of a shortage of blood. In a statement last Friday, the bank said that surgical operations and non-urgent blood transfusions may have to be postponed if the shortage persisted.

About 50 bags of blood are donated at the donation centres every day, which is just enough to meet the demand at local hospitals, Alex Aquilina, who manages the bank, said yesterday.

Blood consists of red cells, plasma, which is the liquid part, and platelets, all of which have different clinical uses. No blood is imported.

Blood can keep for 45 days under refrigeration but it never lasts more than two to three days because of the high demand.

Dr Aquilina said in an interview that during the summer, when most people are on holiday, the number of donors tends to fall.

One factor that may put people off is the limited parking space available near the blood bank, although there is an area reserved for blood donors that at times is occupied by other drivers.

More frequent visits by traffic wardens would help keep clear the parking slots clear for those it is intended.

Prospective donors are given a questionnaire asking them, among other things, whether they have had tattoos done in the previous weeks, any medical condition they may suffer from, as well as any brief sexual interlude they may have experienced in the few weeks prior to their visit to the bank.

Persons who realise that they should not give blood after going through the questionnaire can just leave the bank without any questions asked.

Would not so many personal questions put people off from donating blood?

"It would be much better for the bank if those people who find that they cannot give blood because of these questions do not do so. Confidentiality is guaranteed," said Dr Aquilina.

"Neither can the reception employees or the nursing staff access details about the tests carried out on the blood donated and the person who donated it. Technical people cannot link the donation to an individual.

"It is only the doctors at the bank who have this facility".

The bank carries out rigorous tests on the blood and if the donor is found to be suffering from a contagious disease, he or she is informed and counselled in order to stop them from spreading the disease and offer them help.

Healthy men aged between 18 and 60 can give blood regularly every three months and women every four.

The screening and testing procedure is tightly controlled and makes the blood extremely safe. In fact, one of the biggest sections at the bank is the quality control section.

The bank's mobile unit manages to collect about 20 per cent of all the blood collected by the bank.

"The best locations for donors are those where a local band, religious, social or political club organises a blood donation event".

To make it worthwhile, the mobile blood unit is sent to those places where about 25 donors are prepared to give blood.

Some firms organise blood-donating sessions as part of events marking highlights in their calendar.

"We would like more firms and social entities to take on such humanitarian stints," said Dr Aquilina.

"Blood saves lives and saving lives is something we should all contribute towards."

The blood bank, which is next door to St Luke's Hospital, is open seven days a week, including public holidays, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. The whole procedure of donating blood takes about one hour.