Blood donors needed on the Costa del Sol

URGENT blood donations have been called for by Malaga’s regional blood transfusion centre if they are to ensure that hospitals in the province maintain minimal levels of provisions.

The blood transfusion centre is mainly looking for donors with 0 negative blood, as experts say there are only enough reserves left for one day. Donors with A positive, 0 negative and A negative blood are also urged to donate, as only two days’ worth of provision is left for the last two groups.

The centre, located in the Hospital Civil, will remain open today for 12 consecutive hours, 9am until 9pm, in an attempt to encourage people to visit and donate.

There is also a mobile blood donation unit which will be operating in front of el Corte Inglés in Malaga from 10am until 2pm, another outside the youth centre in Alhaurín de la Torre – from 10am to 2pm, and then again from 5.30pm until 9.30pm – and at the Primary School in Teba from 7.30pm until 9.30pm.

According to the donation centre, reserves tend to fall low during the summer due to the large increase in population along the Costa del Sol and because many regular donors go away on holiday.

Furthermore, hospitals resume normal surgery schedules after the summer break, and greater provision is needed to allow more operations to be carried out.

In Malaga, around 250 blood donations are needed every day to ensure that hospitals in the region have enough.