The decrease in the number of donations and the increase in hospital activity have reduced blood reserves on the Islands, especially for groups A+ and 0+which has led to Canarian Institute of Hemodonation and Hemotherapy (ICHH) to appeal to the citizen solidarity. «In recent weeks, the number of donations has decreased considerably and demand from hospitals has increased. Therefore, we have had to urgently request blood of these groups, since they are the most frequent among the population of the Archipelago,” details Elsa Brito, responsible for Communication, Marketing and Promotion of the aforementioned body attached to the Ministry of Health of the regional Government.
It was last Friday when the ICHH made the urgent call for donation. In order to reinforce their request, over the course of the weekend extraordinary extraction points were enabled in Gran Canaria and Tenerife. «We must keep in mind that for many people it is very difficult to donate blood during the week due to day-to-day obligations. During the weekend the response was very good, but we need to continue increasing stock levels,” says the professional, who also emphasizes that all blood groups “are welcome.”
From the ICHH they remember that, As happens in summer, during the Christmas period it is common for the number of extractions to decrease. For this reason, they will try to ensure that the mobile units are present in spaces where there is a greater influx of people. «We have already started to feel resentful and we are preparing the Christmas campaign. The purpose is for it to start at the beginning of December, since another handicap we have is the expiration of bloodnotes Brito.
The daily average of donations is between 210 and 220, except for the last few weeks
And it is that Through this altruistic gesture three products are obtained: red blood cells or red blood cells, plasma and platelets. The life of the former lasts about 42 days, while the plasma can be preserved for up to two years. For their part, platelets, which are in high demand for cancer patients, expire seven days after being extracted. “We cannot let our guard down at any time because we cannot leave the needs of the hospitals unattended,” says the person in charge.
In the autonomous community, 300 daily donations are needed to guarantee optimal stock levels. However, it is very complicated to arrive at this calculation. “Except for what has happened in recent weeks, the average daily number of extractions is between 210 and 220. When we drop below these values is when the alarms go off and we are forced to request blood urgently,” explains Elsa. Brito.
Based on the figures managed by the ICHH, Last year concluded with 65,942 donations in the regiondOf which 35,024 were carried out in the province of Las Palmas and 30,918 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The total count translated into 612 less than in 2021, when 66,554 extractions were recorded – 36,006 in Las Palmas and 30,548 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife –, despite the massive infections of Covid-19 that occurred throughout the year.
To donate blood you must be between 18 and 65 years old –up to 60 if it is the first time–, weigh more than 50 kilograms, be in good general health and, in the case of women, not be pregnant. People who have contracted SARS-CoV-2 and are asymptomatic must wait seven days from diagnosis to be able to donate. The waiting time for those with mild symptoms is the same from the complete resolution of symptoms. To resolve doubts and consult all the information related to the points that are enabled to carry out the activity in the Archipelago, the institute makes the web portal available to the population. www.efectodonacion.com. It should be noted that men can donate up to four times a year and women three. Only with one extraction is it possible to save the lives of three adult patients or five children.
