Blood reserves improve, but donations still needed

Blood reserves across Cyprus have improved significantly, although further donations are still needed, head of hospital blood banks Maria Adamou said on Thursday. “Our ability to respond to the needs of all cases has significantly improved,” she said. Adamou stressed that blood remained a valuable but limited resource and that its responsible use was essential to maintaining adequate supplies. She also welcomed the recently approved national blood strategy, saying it would lay the groundwork for modernising and upgrading the management of blood donations and supplies. “The implementation of this strategy is expected to contribute to ensuring the adequacy and safety of blood supplies, the rational use of blood and the improvement of the planning, management and distribution of available supplies,” she said. Adamou also sought to reassure the public about the security of blood storage facilities in Cyprus, following reports of a cyberattack targeting blood banks in France. Asked whether a similar incident could affect blood banks in Cyprus, she said there was no cause for concern. She explained that the refrigerators and freezers used to store blood and blood products at blood centres and hospital blood banks operate using their own temperature control systems. The equipment is also fitted with independent external sensors connected to the internet, allowing temperatures to be monitored and recorded around the clock. “These refrigerators and freezers have an independent external sensor system, which is connected to the internet for continuous 24-hour recording and transmission of temperature data,” she said. Adamou clarified that the internet-connected monitoring system was separate from the equipment’s temperature regulation controls. As a result, she said, interference with the monitoring system would not affect the refrigerators’ or freezers’ ability to regulate their temperatures. Earlier this week, a cyberattack reportedly targeted blood banks in France but was thwarted before causing damage. The incident followed reports of refrigerators and freezers at several European supermarkets being remotely manipulated, causing temperatures to rise and forcing the disposal of large quantities of food.