Madrid, November 18 – Hospitals across the Community of Madrid have issued an urgent appeal for blood donations, particularly for blood groups O+, A+, O-, and B-. The regional Transfusion Center emphasized that these groups are currently in a ‘red alert’ status, signifying critically low reserves.
Critical Need for Daily Blood Supply
The urgent call comes as Madrid’s hospitals require approximately 650 bags of fresh blood daily to maintain adequate stock for treatments and surgical procedures. The Transfusion Center highlighted the vital role of blood donations in managing complex medical situations, such as complicated births, which can necessitate up to 10 bags of blood in cases of massive hemorrhage.
While O+, A+, O-, and B- are in urgent demand, reserves for A- are also low, prompting a call for donations within the next two to three days. The remaining blood groups, AB+, AB-, and B+, currently have normal levels, but regular donations are still encouraged to ensure a stable supply.
Annual Donations and Usage Demands
The Community of Madrid typically receives around 240,000 blood donations annually. However, a single surgical intervention can sometimes consume the equivalent of 20 individual donations. To meet the ongoing hospital demand, the regional administration requires an additional 900 bags of blood daily. This high demand is partly due to the short shelf life of certain blood components, such as platelets, which expire within five days.
Simple Donation Process and Eligibility
Donating blood is a straightforward process, typically lasting no more than 20 minutes. Basic eligibility requirements include being between 18 and 65 years old, weighing over 50 kilograms, and being in good general health.
Donors are permitted to give blood every 8 weeks, with a maximum of 4 donations per 12-month period for men and 3 for women.
Where to Donate
In addition to the main Transfusion Center located at Avenida de la Democracia s/n (corner of Avenida de las Comunidades), residents can also donate at the mobile units operated by the Community of Madrid and the Red Cross. The locations and operating hours of these mobile units are available on the official website: comunidad.madrid/donarsangre.
The current shortage underscores the continuous and critical need for public support to ensure that Madrid’s hospitals can continue to provide essential medical care without interruption.
