IBTS concern about blood supply for Christmas and New Year

The IBTS is concerned that blood supplies will be difficult between now and Christmas – New Year period and is urging donors to make a special effort to give blood during this time. The IBTS needs 15,000 donations over the coming weeks to maintain the blood supply.

“Traditionally holiday periods and especially the lead into the Christmas/New Year festivities present significant difficulties in sustaining the blood supply. On any given day 200 patients receive transfusions in Irish hospitals”, said Operations Director, Paddy Bowler.

“A steady attendance of 3000 donors per week is needed for the 5 weeks from Dec 8th to Jan 9th. As Christmas day and New Years Day both fall on a Thursday, which is our best attendance/collection day this will have a serious impact on our supply. To deal with this we are running additional Saturday and Sunday clinics before Christmas, between Christmas and New Year and after New Year’s Day to make sure there is blood available for patients over this period.

“The demand for blood is constant. We supply product 365 days a year and will issue blood for transfusion to hospitals on Christmas day, St Stephen's day and New Year's day, so we are urging donors to give a priceless gift this Christmas, the gift of blood.

Clinic details can be obtained on www.giveblood.ie.

ENDS

Note to Editor - Some facts about blood

• Over 1,000 people receive transfusions every week in Ireland
• Only 3% of the Irish population give blood, providing blood for a population of over 4 million
• You can give blood every 90 days
• A car accident victim may require up to 30 units of blood
• A bleeding ulcer could require anything between 3-30 units of blood
• A coronary artery bypass may use between 1-5 units of blood
• People undergoing treatment for cancer are regularly transfused
• The most common blood group in Ireland is O positive (47% of the population)
• The rarest blood group in Ireland is AB negative (1% of the population)
• The most common blood group is O, accounting for about 46% of the world's population. However, in some areas other blood groups predominate, in Norway for example, type A is the most prevalent
• People in the West of Ireland are predominantly of blood group O
• There is a higher concentration of Group A blood in counties which historically received Viking, Anglo Norman and English population settlements
• There are more people with Rhesus negative blood on the East coast than the West