DRK deficiency of young blood donors

Lack of young blood donors

09/06/2014

The blood donation service north-east of the German Red Cross (DRK) has warned of an impending lack of blood donors under 40 years. However, the consumption of blood reserves is decreasing nationwide. This is associated with a more economical use of canned food.

Lack of blood donors under 40 years

According to a report by the news agency dpa, the blood donation service north-east of the German Red Cross (DRK) warned of an impending lack of blood donors under 40 years. „Demographic change is increasing the number of older people who potentially need blood“, such a spokeswoman in the run-up to the World Blood Day on 14 June. Demand is constantly high, especially in larger hospitals such as Potsdam. According to the information, in 2013 there were 120,000 blood donations at the DRK in Brandenburg.

Consumption of stored blood declines

In Germany, however, the consumption of blood products is declining. „In Brandenburg, this makes little sense“, explained the DRK spokeswoman. According to the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI), demand has been falling nationwide for two years. „Especially with planned interventions, physicians can now take alternative measures in advance“, explained Friedrich-Ernst Düppe from the blood transfusion service West DRK. For example, patients are screened for anemia prior to surgery and only operated on when a deficiency is eliminated. Even if more intensive cost awareness for the decline in demand is partly responsible, it is not just about money. For example, the World Health Organization (WHO) has long been calling for a conscious approach to conserving blood. Among other things, patients should be spared side effects and secondary diseases, which may be accompanied by transfusion of foreign blood.

There is no question of significant burglary

The private blood donation service Haema states that there is generally no question of a significant slump in demand. And the DRK experts are convinced that demand will pick up again in the future. A spokeswoman for the DRK Blood Transfusion Service North-East emphasized that certain patients without blood donation could not survive. For example, cancer patients still need a lot of transfusions, about one-fifth of donations are used for them, according to DRK.

„Thank you for the unselfish gift“

Under the motto „Thank you for the unselfish gift“ The World Blood Donor Day will take place on June 14th. For first-time donors, they should be between 18 and 65 years old and healthy. The donors must answer a few questions on a so-called anamnesis sheet, such as possible previous stays in the tropics. If the doctor in the subsequent quick health check, which includes, among other things, blood pressure measurements, nothing to complain, the actual donation can be made. Since the donor blood corresponds to only a very small proportion of the total body volume, it is replaced by the organism again. White blood cells are regenerated after just one day, and red blood cells take a few days longer. However, the donor's circulation has already recovered after about half an hour. (Ad)