Barely five per cent of Maltese donate blood and a television presenter discovered this sad statistic when she attempted to raise awareness by inviting personalities - just eight from 50 turned up.
Stephanie Spiteri, a popular presenter, has made raising awareness on blood donations her crusade so she came up with the idea of inviting personalities on her programme Terrazza on TVM.
"I think it would have been easier to collect money than blood. I wasn't expecting this reaction and I was surprised by the number of excuses I heard," she said.
"One person even flatly refused to donate saying, 'It's my blood and I won't give it to anyone'. I feel I have to come forward and encourage people to set aside their fears and become donors," she added.
Ms Spiteri feels it should be every individual's civic duty to donate blood and she was very grateful for those who actually set aside their tight work schedule and accepted her invitation.
"Giving blood is so fulfilling. Every time I donate it feels like I've won the lottery. We all assume somebody else will do it, until one day we may need an operation and it has to be postponed because there is no blood to match our type," she said.
As her appeal coincides with the month when the feast of the patron saint of blood banks, St Januarius, is celebrated, she is encouraging personalities to lead by example.
Alex Aquilina, consultant and medical doctor at the National Blood Transfusion Service, believes fear is the major hurdle that stops people from donating blood.
"Their fear is very real, but others simply don't find the time, while others still are either on medication and suffer from some form of illness," he said.
However, Dr Aquilina is encouraged by the fact that this year the NBTS had experienced a 16 per cent increase in blood donations over last year's figure of 14,500. The NBTS reports that over 300,000 people in Malta can donate blood, but barely five per cent do so, and those who do, do it out of a sense of duty because they know it can save lives.
An average of 40 to 50 blood bags are used up every day, which clearly highlights the urgency of donations, especially when traffic accidents, such as those of the past days, occur - one or two serious accidents are enough to drain stocks.
The facts
How much blood is taken during a blood donation?
Approximately 450 millilitres of blood is collected during a blood donation.
How long does it take for my body to replace the donation?
Your body will replace the liquid part of the donation within 24 hours. Red cells usually need at least eight weeks for complete replacement.
How long after blood donation should a donor avoid strenuous activity?
Donors should avoid strenuous activity for about six to eight hours after donating blood.
How old should I be to donate blood?
To donate blood you have to be 18 years old. New donors aged 60 are not accepted. However, regular donors are allowed to donate blood until 65. Seventeen-year-olds are allowed to donate with their parent's/guardian's written consent.
Is there a weight limit?
Yes there is, the minimum requirement is 50 kilograms.
Can I get AIDS from donating blood?
No. You cannot get AIDS or any other disease by giving blood. The materials used for your donation are new, sterile, disposable and are used only once for your donation.
Can persons who suffer from high blood pressure donate blood?
Persons with controlled "high" blood pressure with diuretics (i.e. pills that cause one to pass a lot of urine) can donate blood but if they are taking other medication or the high blood pressure is not controlled, they cannot donate blood.
Can persons who have a high level of cholesterol donate blood?
Persons with high cholesterol controlled by diet or statins (a group of drugs to lower cholesterol levels) can donate blood. Persons taking other medication to control cholesterol levels cannot donate blood.
Can asthmatic persons donate blood?
Asthmatics who are not on treatment can donate, but those on treatment cannot. However, there are some exceptions which may depend on the severity of the case.
Can foreigners donate blood?
No, however, non-Maltese residents with a Maltese identity card are allowed. Identity cards ending in P or A are allowed to donate blood if they have been living in Malta for at least six months.
Is it true that blood is being sold to private hospitals?
Blood is never sold. It is estimated that to process, screen and make blood available to patients it costs the blood bank about €105 per unit of blood. Currently there are no charges to private hospitals for this service.
Is it true that patients in private hospitals are preferred to patients in the state hospitals when it comes to receiving blood, because they pay for it?
On occasions when there is a shortage of blood, blood is given to the patients mostly in need. On rare occasions, non-urgent (elective) operations may be postponed.
Where should I phone if I have any concerns?
Call on 2206 6201 or 7930 7307.
Source: www.health.gov.mt/nbts