"Six minutes of your time can save someone's life" is the message most of those donating blood yesterday wanted to convey.
It takes about six minutes for a nurse to extract 450 ml of blood. The whole process takes a little longer because people are examined by a doctor before to check that the person is fit to donate blood.
"The tests carried out before blood is donated are to protect the donor. Those carried out after are to protect the patient," Alex Aquilina, the doctor in charge of the Blood Transfusion Centre, told The Times.
The centre has been making frequent appeals for blood donors because demand is higher than supply. Angelo Degiorgio, the centre's manager, said some 50 donors a day were needed but only about 35 people were turning up. "At the moment, 13 operating theatres are running at Mater Dei Hospital, the same number as at St Luke's but more operations are taking place and there are seven more theatres that will start being used soon and the demand for blood will grow. At the moment we are barely coping with the demand given the number of donors we have," he said.
Fewer people are donating blood at the moment and the bank has critical levels of supply of blood types 0+, 0-, A+ and A-. It is also in short supply of blood types AB- and B+.
"We are refurbishing the Mobile Blood Donation Unit and that has dealt us a big blow. Even though we set up centres in schools and in clinics and other public places, the number of donors is still small.
"Unfortunately, we still do not have a culture that we should donate blood," he said.
Another factor is that those who resided in the UK for a total of six months between 1980 and 1996 cannot donate blood because of mad cow disease, Mr Degiorgio explained.
Dr Aquilina said all the blood that was donated was used.
"Patients are not given the bag of blood that is given by donors. The blood is processed by separating it into red cells, plasma and platelets and these are given to patients according to their needs," he explained.
Blood given every day before 1 p.m. is ready to be sent to hospitals by 5.30 p.m.
The centre is run just like a private pharmaceutical company, except that it is a non-profit making entity.
"Blood is similar to a drug. It is given to the patient intravenously and, hence, it has to be of top quality," Dr Aquilina said.
Donors who were at the transfusion centre yesterday all spoke of "an inner satisfaction of knowing you are helping someone you don't know by giving something that can't be bought with money".
Joseph Saliba, 39, makes it a point to donate blood every three months.
"Some years ago, my mother underwent surgery and needed blood. The operation was about to be cancelled because of a shortage of blood. And I realised how important it is for people to donate blood."
Eva Azzopardi went to donate blood on hearing about the shortage there was. "It is not at all painful to give blood. This is my second time. I have been a vegetarian for 28 years and was afraid that my blood would not be strong enough and I was always reluctant to give blood. But I feel good I did it and recommend others to do the same," she said. Phyllis Xuereb donated blood for the first time yesterday and said she was determined to become a regular donor.
Mario Mifsud, who made it a point to declare he was a hunter, said he was not afraid to donate blood and recommended that fellow hunters should follow his example.
A number of members of the AFM air wing were among those donating blood yesterday.
Dr Aquilina said there were no risks to anyone donating blood and the amount of blood that is given is replaced by the body very quickly.