He Canarian Institute of Hemodonation and Hemotherapy (ICHH)dependent on the Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islandscalls on the population to urgently donate blood and platelets, given the decrease in stock caused by the increase in hospital activity in recent days.
The ICHH recalls that platelets have the peculiarity that they expire in just seven days, so continuous and frequent donations are needed to maintain the stock of this blood component that is used in multiple hospital procedures.
Platelets can be obtained from a whole blood donation or from a selective donation of platelets through apheresis, although at least five whole blood donations are needed to obtain a platelet concentrate.
For this reason, the ICHH calls on the population to urgently donate this weekend in Tenerife and Gran Canaria in order to restore platelet reserves and guarantee hospital activity.
Operational donation points
In Gran Canaria, you can donate blood in the mobile unit located in the Mesa y López Avenue of The Gran Canarian palms. The hours today, the 24th, will be from 9:45 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and tomorrow, Monday, December 25, from 4:45 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
In the extraction room located in Alcampo Teldetogether with the lottery administration, you can donate today, the 24th, from 9:45 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
In addition, this Sunday you can also donate blood and platelets at the ICHH fixed point at 4 Alfonso XIII Street, The Palms from Gran Canaria, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
In Tenerife, the mobile unit will be operational next to the Plaza de la Catedral de La Laguna today, Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. and tomorrow, Monday, the 25th, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
Finally, regular platelet donors can go to the University Hospital of Canary Islands this Sunday, December 24, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
For more information about the donation points operating in the coming days, you can consult the website effectonacion.com
Requirements to donate blood
The basic requirements to donate blood are to be between 18 and 65 years old (up to 60 if it is your first donation), weigh more than 50 kilos, enjoy good general health and not be pregnant.
However, since there are multiple variables that can determine the suitability of the donor, the ICHH makes a self-assessment questionnaire available to citizens on the effectonacion.com website with which to check if they can donate blood.
The ICHH reminds the population that it is no longer necessary to make an appointment to donate blood.
