IBTS wants greater than 12,000 donations in coming weeks to revive blood shares
Blood shares are operating ‘critically low’ with extra provides required urgently within the wake of Storm Éowyn, the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) has warned.
The organisation is looking on the general public to offer instant help to assist recuperate the nationwide blood provide, with present shares for a lot of blood teams set to final for 3 days or much less.
The latest extreme climate occasions, together with Storm Éowyn, and excessive ranges of respiratory sickness inside communities has considerably impacted blood collections, the IBTS stated.
“As a way to keep away from placing additional strain on our hospital system, we’d like over 12,000 donations within the coming days and weeks, to revive the blood provide, and safely help our well being service,” stated IBTS director of donor providers and logistics Paul McKinney.
“In 2024 the IBTS issued the very best variety of blood donation items to Irish hospitals in over a decade, at just below 128,500 items. This exceptionally excessive demand has continued unabated into 2025.”
Present blood provides in Eire as of January 27 2025. Supply: giveblood.ie.
In addition to present donors, the organisation can be looking for individuals who have by no means beforehand given blood to donate. Donors of all ethnicities are wanted, however specifically, these of African heritage can play an important position in restoring sure blood kind provides.
Simply three per cent of the inhabitants are blood donors and roughly eight per cent of those donors are O destructive. Nevertheless, as this blood might be transfused to sufferers of all teams, problems with this blood group to hospitals incessantly hits 15 per cent, thus requiring extra frequent calls on donors of this group.
The IBTS wants to gather 3,200 items of blood each week to keep up the nationwide blood provide. It’s estimated that one-in-four folks would require a blood transfusion for the duration of their lives with 67 per cent of all blood used to assist help most cancers sufferers.
“We’re asking individuals who would possibly by no means have given blood earlier than, or it’s been some time, to make it their purpose to present blood, and the priceless present of life, to these in our communities and hospitals who want it,” added McKinney.
Donors who obtain a textual content message from IBTS can ebook an appointment on-line at www.giveblood.ie.
Anybody desirous about changing into a donor can register their curiosity on www.giveblood.ie, which incorporates data on clinic areas, opening hours and eligibility particulars, or name 1800 731 137.
