Blood bank appeals for O negative
Dangerously low levels of O negative blood are worrying the Blood Donation Centre.
Tony Micallef, a staff nurse at the centre, said there were only five bags of this blood type stored at Mater Dei Hospital.
This might not be enough for one patient and threatens to put non-emergency operations on hold until more blood is available.
While O negative blood can be given to everyone, those with this blood type - some five per cent of the population - can only be given O negative blood.
Mr Micallef explained that in emergencies, such as serious accidents, there was sometimes no time to cross-match the victim's blood type and O negative was given.
"If we have a gunshot wound and we need to give the victim blood urgently we give O negative because it is compatible with everyone," he said, adding that a mother needed 22 bags of blood last year after giving birth.
"We appeal to all those with this blood type to donate blood because it is urgently needed," he said.
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anika Psaila Savona
Feb 16th 2009, 18:01
@ Mr Livingstone You are not being excluded because you are British. I am Maltese. I also have 0 negative but cannot donate. There is a very unfortunate rule which is being applied here in Malta that where a person has lived in the UK for a cumulative period of six months or more between 1980 and 1996, that person cannot donate blood. I have corresponded with the Blood Unit on several occasions and have been told that this is protocol and must be followed. This rule excludes most of us as many would have visited in the UK for a cumultative period of 6 months in a 16 year period! Note it is not even a consecutive period of 6 months. Moreso more than a decade has passed since 1996 so surely it is time this rule is revisited or are we waiting for a real tragedy occur! I do not recall seeing any media investigate the reasons why there is such a depletion of our stock and I am sure that this one rule is one of the causes. The Times could look into these facts and confirm whether they are as I state them.
Steve Livingston
Feb 14th 2009, 14:45
I am O negative blood type and used to donate here in Malta whenever possible. Unfortunately the authorities decided I represent too much of a health risk to the Maltese public due to the fact that I am British and therefore considered a contamination risk for ....wait for it....mad cow disease!
I think the health authorities need to learn a bit about priorities in life.
Joseph Schembri
Feb 14th 2009, 12:12
As the group of people who cannot donate blood seems to have grown bigger it would be helpful if we were told who these groups are. I have been told that it is very frustrating to turn up at the centre and after wasting several hours of one's day, one is told that one's blood is not welcome.
I wish it to remain possible for blood donations to remain so, 'donations' and not having to reach a situation where we have to pay for blood. That would be a great tragedy.
A.Vella
Feb 14th 2009, 12:02
Apparently this was put into force when STD testing was still in its infancy. Quite a silly reason because a straight person could equally be carrying STD's and now there is technology to test blood. As usualy Malta takes ages to update itself
Claude Calleja
Feb 14th 2009, 11:02
Why is it that homosexual men are barred from donating blood?