“Blood reserves are low, as they are in all hospitals across Portugal. This is a national problem. In fact, the IPST [Portuguese Institute of Blood and Transplantation] is bringing blood from the Azores and Madeira, because we are, indeed, in a difficult situation”, said Álvaro Beleza, director of the Immuno-Hemotherapy Service at the Santa Maria Local Health Unit, to Lusa agency.
Álvaro Beleza noted that appeals have been made to donors to give blood before going on vacation, because “unfortunately, patients” and health problems “do not take holidays”.
“The most important thing is to urge people to donate blood, as we obviously need to manage surgeries. No one is left without blood in the most urgent and serious situations—more complex surgeries—but some that can be postponed are being delayed, precisely to ensure blood for those more urgent situations”, he emphasized.
Blood shortages worsen annually
Álvaro Beleza explained that blood reserves always decrease in the summer, with the situation “worsening each year” due to a shortage of donors in Portugal and across Europe, where there is a deficit of two million donations.
“People, unfortunately, are donating less (…) and regular donors, donor associations, comprise generations that are aging, who can no longer donate blood from the age of 65, so it is a daily battle to encourage younger people to donate blood”, he lamented.
At Santa Maria Hospital, the main donors are young students from the fields of medicine, nursing, health, the University of Lisbon, among others. However, he noted, “we are, indeed, facing difficulties” and “people need to understand there is a problem”.
Vacation period is the “worst”
When asked by Lusa if the situation could worsen during the summer, Álvaro Beleza estimated, based on experience and information exchanges between hospitals, that “the worst” period would be until the end of this month.
He noted that the IPST is conducting “a major campaign with federations and donor associations” and that in August “things might improve”.
Contacted by Lusa, the president of the IPST, Maria Antónia Escoval, explained that from July 15, there is always “a greater shortage of blood” due to regular donors going on vacation.
The IPST has begun publishing weekly updates every Monday on the status of reserves at www.dador.pt, so that regular and first-time donors can be informed of the situation and donate blood.
Currently, as usual, Lisbon and the Tagus Valley is the region with the greatest need for 0+. The Algarve “is a region that requires reinforcement in blood donations throughout the year”, said the president.
According to the official, the IPST reports some shortages in certain blood groups.
Regarding the situation in hospitals, she stated that it is still somewhat controlled at the moment.
“Nevertheless, we need a reinforcement in blood donations, and we urge everyone, especially those with A positive and negative and 0 positive and negative, to donate blood”, since around 1,100 patients in Portuguese hospitals require blood every day.
Maria Antónia Escoval mentioned that the website dador.pt lists the fixed blood collection sites, which include the IPST’s three blood and transplantation centers in Lisbon, Porto, and Coimbra, as well as all hospitals with collection services.
It also lists mobile collection locations spread across the country, particularly in some holiday areas.
