Blood emergency on the island: "We need everyone's help"

There is still a blood emergency in Sardinia , as confirmed this morning during a press conference in Cagliari by the president of Avis Regionale, Vincenzo Dore, and the medical director of Avis Regionale, Marino Argiolas.

"Hospitals don't close in the summer, operating rooms don't close, transplants are done, chronic anemic patients continue to need transfusions: this is why it is important that blood reserves in hospitals are always present ", was the 'appeal.

«Compared to the number of inhabitants - added Argiolas - Sardinia is the region that produces the most blood in Italy . We produce 51 units per thousand inhabitants and this figure demonstrates that the associative system works and is able to respond to emergencies even with the minimum of time available on the organizational front. Our biggest problem, however, is that we transfuse much more than the other regions» .

2023 currently has 30,579 units produced, against 40,543 in 2022: the Association has therefore noted a decrease in donations of 2.4%, equal to 964 units, but against an increase in demand of 3.3 % this year, i.e. 1662 more bags transfused.

« In the summer period the population in Sardinia increases considerably and at the same time blood donations suffer a physiological decrease due to departures for holidays . There are so many requests for blood that we receive from hospitals that are constantly in trouble - said Vincenzo Dore - Some surgeries have been skipped, as well as some transfusions".

"At the moment we have registered major shortages especially in the centers of Cagliari and Sassari because they serve the largest number of thalassemics, only in the capital there are 500", underlined the medical director of Avis Sardegna.

“We are in an emergency – concluded Dore -. We all may need blood. So, before leaving for the summer holidays, anyone in a position to do so, go and donate blood and try to bring other people closer to this act of solidarity. We are in full emergency and we need everyone's help ».

(Unioneonline/ss)