SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, December 24. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Canarian Institute of Hemodonation and Hemotherapy (ICHH), dependent on the Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, calls on the population to urgently donate blood and platelets in the face of the decrease in stock caused by the increase in hospital activity in recent years. days.
The ICHH recalls in a note 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 replenish platelet reserves and guarantee hospital activity.
In Gran Canaria you can donate blood at the mobile unit located on Avenida Mesa y López in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria from 9:45 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and this Monday from 4:45 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
You can also donate in the extraction room located in Alcampo Telde, next to the lottery administration, this Sunday from 9:45 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and at the ICHH fixed point on Alfonso XIII street number 4, in Las Palmas de 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 this Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. and on Monday from 5:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
Regular platelet donors can also go to the Canary Islands University Hospital this Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
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.