Urgent appeal for O positive blood

Operations might have to be postponed next week unless more donors of O positive blood come forward.

In an urgent appeal yesterday, the National Blood Transfusion Service said the supply of O positive blood has dwindled to 60 bags, 33 of which are already allocated to patients.

Patients with this blood type can only receive O positive or negative blood so some people might not be receiving blood at soon as they needed it, Tony Micallef, from the blood donation centre, said.

Around 50 donors are needed every day and if the supply does not meet the demand, the alert levels in the transfusion service start rising.

Blood is used in operations and also used for certain treatments, such as for children following chemotherapy, Mr Micallef said.

Donors can go to the centre opposite St Luke's Hospital in Guardamangia every day between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. including Sundays and holidays. On Saturday, the blood mobile unit will be in Sanctuary Street, Żabbar and the donation centre at the Gozo Hospital will open from 8.30 to 11.30 a.m. On Sunday, the blood unit will be in front of the seminary in Rabat from 8.30 a.m. till 1 p.m. and the Gozo Hospital will open between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Donors need to produce their ID cards and should drink two glasses of water and eat a light snack before they donate blood.