Michel Radou, President of the Departmental and Regional Unions for Voluntary Blood Donation
Michel Radou chairs Departmental Union of Associations for Voluntary Blood Donation since 2011 and the Regional Union since 2016.
What are the missions of the Unions that you chair?
“They bring together the associations of volunteer blood donors. There are 10 of them in Seine-Maritime, 75 in the five Normandy departments. Volunteers promote collections, sometimes the post-donation snack, otherwise it’s the French Blood Establishment (EFS) which takes care of it. They also help in the search for new donors. “
What are the effects of the health crisis?
“In previous years, donations matched demand. Since last year, this is no longer the case. In 2020, the number of donations fell by 9% in Normandy and 15% in Seine-Maritime. The needs are great and the reserves are low. In France, 85 to 90,000 bags are available while 120,000 would be needed. The effect of the first confinement was limited because collections were organized by appointment to facilitate the arrival of donors. The town halls have made rooms better suited to respect distancing and this is a positive aspect. “
“But what penalizes, and it is even more glaring in Seine-Maritime, is the lack of doctor. Some collections are canceled, others reduce their hourly amplitude. It is not the fault of the donors. Making an appointment is well accepted: we don’t wait any longer. On the other hand, it prevents spontaneous donation because we pass in front of a mobile collection and we have time to go and give. “
How is the balance sheet for the current year looking?
” Unfortunately, the year 2021 should be worse. The presence of a doctor is compulsory during a collection and they are sorely lacking. To dispense with it, nurses must be trained to supervise and that medical tele-assistance for collection be set up. This system allows the nurse to contact a doctor in case of a problem or to ask a question. It has been tested in the former Basse-Normandie but not here. We can expect that it will not be implemented in Seine-Maritime before the second half of 2022 when there is a lack of doctors here more than elsewhere. “
“We are also starting to feel a lack of nurses. As for the collections organized in companies or schools, they have been interrupted since the first confinement and we have no information on their resumption. “
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Through Frederique THULLIER
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