Filenews 2 February 2023
Blood reserves in Cyprus are at dangerously low levels, said the Head of the Blood Centre, Androulla Panayiotou, who appeals to the public to come to the Blood Donation Stations and participate in the organized blood donations to donate blood.
Mrs. Panayiotou said that the Blood Center has been facing a problem since the beginning of January, since a very large number of people suffering from coronavirus or Influenza A and B, has put many thousands of blood donors in temporary exclusion from blood donation, resulting in a noticeable decrease in the flow of blood donors.
At the same time, Mrs. Panayiotou stressed that the need for blood is very increased, so the struggle to find blood is daily.
Unfortunately, according to the Head of the Blood Centre, "we are not in very good condition at the moment. It seems that the various viruses have affected the attendance rate. Also, in blood donations, where one expects to get enough blood, the attendance is very low. We are in a bad situation", he notes.
Asked about the stock level at the moment, she said the two-day safety stock, which is around 600 bottles and the Centre usually has, "does not exist at the moment".
He explained that 300 bottles of blood are needed every day, to note that at the moment in the refrigerators of the Centre there are not even 600 bottles, in order to cover the safety stock.
Moreover, in response to a relevant question, he said that the daily attendance rate reaches around 250 blood donors, while on weekends 400 to 500 bottles of blood may be collected, a percentage, however, which according to Mrs. Panayiotou is "extremely low".
He stressed that the blood centre's effort to find reserves is "continuous and daily."
"We try to contact volunteers by phone. Most are sick and can't come. Our daily struggle to find blood," he said.
