General News
22 April, 2022
Urgent Call For O Negative Blood … As Stocks Plummet!
AUSTRALIAN Red Cross Lifeblood urgently needs people with O negative blood to donate over the next fortnight, as consecutive long weekends threaten supplies.
Lifeblood’s own reserves of the emergency blood type – needed by accident and trauma patients – have dropped to their lowest point in 12 months.
Only in Cairns, Lifeblood needs 160 blood and plasma donors before ANZAC day to cover the blood shortage, especially O negative.
Lifeblood spokesperson Belinda Smetioukh said that for the first time, nearly 40 donor centres opened across Australia on Good Friday to give all blood types a much-needed boost to reach the goal before ANZAC Day.
“The need for blood is often unplanned and urgent,” Ms Smtioukh said.
“This time of year is when many of our donors take a welldeserved break, but the next two weeks are shaping up to be particularly difficult with back-to-back long weekends for Easter and ANZAC Day.
“We urgently need over 900 Queenslanders of all blood types to book a donation before Easter Monday, and a further 1,300 through to ANZAC Day,” she said.
“We need them to come back for a second donation when they are next eligible to ensure we can keep hospital fridges well stocked,” she said.
O negative makes up 15% of hospital orders across Australia, but fewer than 7% of the population have that blood type.
“This rare blood type is in high demand because it can be given in emergency situations where a patient’s blood group is unknown,” Ms Smetioukh said.
“It’s often stocked in ambulances and rescue helicopters to be used for trauma patients who can require huge quantities in a short amount of time.”
If you don’t know your blood type, donating is an excellent way to find out – with every blood type needed every day to help save lives.
“Blood will be needed by thousands of people this ANZAC weekend, including trauma and emergency patients, mums delivering babies, and people undergoing cancer treatment,” Ms Smetioukh said.
“A single blood donation can mean a lifetime for the person receiving it, and all it costs a donor is an hour of their time.”
