Following the National Transfusion Centre’s urgent call for blood donations on Wednesday, the centre on Thursday said that the urgent shortage persisted and blood reserves needed to be replenished as soon as possible.

This, it said, was in everyone’s interest especially in view of the Christmas festivities when it was imperative for the Blood Bank to have a good reserve of blood.

The centre called for personal discipline when it came to drinking and driving to avoid accidents which easily depleted blood reserves, which were not always easy to keep at the desired levels.

The service said there were also hundreds of patients being operated upon in hospitals in Malta and Gozo or receiving treatment for cancer who required blood transfusions.

It encouraged people to donate, saying all types of blood were needed.

The Blood Donation Centre, just outside St Luke’s Hospital in Gwardamanġa, is open daily from 8am to 6pm, weekends included.

Those donating blood are asked to take with them their ID card, driving licence or Maltese passport.

Donors were asked to also encourage others to donate.