The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) is urging blood donors to visit donation clinics this week, as blood supplies have dropped significantly following the bank holiday weekend.
It announced the addition of five extra clinics across the country for Sunday, 12 April, reports RTE.
The IBTS stated that it aims to maintain a seven-day supply at all times.
Currently, stocks stand at just over two days’ worth of O positive and just over three days’ supply of other key blood groups, reports RTE.
The IBTS said clinics this week are in: D’Olier Street, Stillorgan, Cork Centre, Naas, Kells, Stamullen, Tullycorbet, Newbridge, Tullamore, Westport, Galway City, Kanturk, Glanmire, Abbeyfeale and Limerick City.
It has also reached out to hospitals to flag that stock levels are critically low, urging them to carefully manage supplies to ensure blood remains available for those most in need, reports RTE.
The IBTS noted that hospital demand for blood has been particularly high, especially throughout the month of March.
This has coincided with bank holidays around St Patrick’s Day and Easter, with some donors taking advantage of the holidays and favourable weather, meaning they were unavailable to attend clinics during that period, it added, reports RTE.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
