Through Méréva Balin
Published on
–
–
–
1,700. This is the number of daily blood donations necessary to cover the needs of the Ile-de-France region. Only, since the summer of 2021, the teams of the French Blood Establishment (EFS) have observed a sharp drop in attendance in their collections.
“The donation is no longer a priority, unlike the first confinement during which we experienced a large influx”, explains Doctor Ahmed Slimani, regional manager of collections. The EFS has therefore launched several fundraising campaigns.
Above all, we want to attract regular donors, old or new, because the needs are permanent given the very short lifespan of blood products (7 days for platelets and 42 days for red blood cells).
Appointments to limit the wait
In Ecquevilly, the requests of the EFS have been heard. About fifty people went to the collection organized on January 13, 2022, especially regulars.
“I received a notification to encourage me to come back,” says Laëtitia, a regular donor who made the trip from Bouafle. The last time I came was in October but now I plan to donate more often. Women can in fact give blood up to four times a year (six times for men).
During the summer period, the EFS has set up an appointment system in order to limit the wait for donors.
The health crisis has also changed the collection process. “We apply barrier measures with well-separated spaces for each stage of the donation. We provide a mask to each donor and we provide hydroalcoholic gel,” explains Ahmed Slimani.
Donors are asked to drink through a straw while keeping their mask on and take their snack to enjoy at home.
Essential donations for some patients
The French Blood Establishment (EFS) keeps reminding us of this. A donation saves three lives thanks to the red blood cells, platelets and plasma contained in the samples. Blood products are used during surgical operations but also in the treatment of certain chronic diseases, such as sickle cell disease. “When I have an attack, it results in significant anemia and a low hemoglobin level, explains Florent Gavarin, sickle cell patient and president of the Drépanosanstabou association. A transfusion is then mandatory. Aware of the current slowdown in blood donations, the association manager is seeking to establish a partnership with the EFS to organize information meetings on the subject.
—
A crisis meeting every morning
The very organization of collections is a headache. “Since the beginning of the year, we have held a crisis meeting every morning to adjust the number of collections as best we can,” says Ahmed Slimani.
In addition to the multiple sick leaves linked to the Omicron variant, the ESF is experiencing difficulties in recruiting. “There are 20 vacancies in Île-de-France, 14 nurses and 6 doctors,” said Ahmed Slimani.
For 2022, the establishment is therefore giving up collections in companies and universities to focus on meetings in the municipalities. The next EFS collection will take place January 30 at the great mosque of Mantes-la-Jolie.
Was this article helpful to you? Note that you can follow 78actu in the My News space. In one click, after registration, you will find all the news of your favorite cities and brands.
–
