THE IRISH BLOOD Transfusion Service is urgently seeking an additional 2,000 blood donations over the next four weeks to support the national blood supply as most blood groups have fallen to under three days of stock. 

Director of Donor Services and Logistics Paul McKinney said the service aims to have seven days supply, but current levels, including O negative, A negative and B negative, are under three days supply.

He said supply of the O positive blood group, which is the most common in Ireland at nearly half the population, is very low at 3.5 days.

The IBTS needs to collect over 3,000 units of blood every week to maintain the national blood supply. 

Only 3% of the eligible population are blood donors, but it is estimated that one in four people will need a blood transfusion at some point in their lives

Approximately 8% of these donors are O negative. However, as this blood can be transfused to patients of all groups, issues of this blood group to hospitals are frequently greater than 15%, requiring more frequent calls on donors of this group.

According to the IBTS, there has been a consistently high hospital demand for blood over the summer months. In August, it issued the highest amount of blood units to hospitals in over a decade.

⚠️ We urgently need an additional 2,000 blood donations over the next 4 weeks to support the national blood supply! Most blood groups have fallen to under 3 days of stock. ⚠️
Read more: https://t.co/2Ic8d7GTm3 #GiveBlood #BloodDonorsNeeded #GiveBloodIreland #WeCountOnYou pic.twitter.com/qJI6WwlKGY

— Giveblood (@Giveblood_ie) October 8, 2024

“This high demand has continued through September and with a Bank Holiday fast approaching, we need to boost our collections by nearly 500 donations per week in all blood groups to be able to continue to meet the demand,” McKinney said.

He said high sickness levels and holiday travel, combined with the traditional back to school demands, have all had an impact on donor availability throughout the summer and now into autumn.

“We are asking regular donors who are texted for upcoming clinics over the coming weeks to make an extra effort to attend, especially in Dublin and Cork where we have clinic availability every week. This is vital to address the increased demand from hospitals.”

McKinney said a pre-amber alert letter was issued to all hospitals on the 27 September, restricting issues of certain blood groups. Hospitals have also been asked to reduce their stock holding.

This enables the IBTS to manage the limited blood supply available more effectively across the health service.

If the IBTS has to issue an ‘amber alert letter’, which is the next escalation level of the blood shortage plan, it would have an immediate implication for hospitals and for elective surgical procedures requiring blood support’, McKinney said.

The IBTS is particularly encouraging new donors of African Heritage to join the national blood donor panel to help it diversify the donor base and get better blood type matches for patients.

Potential new donors can visit giveblood.ie and take a quick eligibility test or call the IBTS on 1800 731137 to make an appointment.