Blood shortages threaten thalassaemia patient care

Patients’ groups issued a distress signal in parliament on Thursday over inadequate blood stocks to properly treat people with thalassaemia and other haemoglobin diseases. MPs heard that the lack of blood has led to postponements of surgeries as well as under-transfusions for thalassaemia patients. Disy’s Prodromos Alambritis called for specific measures to boost blood donations, describing it as a public healthcare priority. He proposed increasing staffing at the national blood centre, organising targeted awareness campaigns, and giving incentives to army conscripts and civil servants to donate blood. For example, civil servants donating blood could be given the day off. The MP expressed concern that the finance ministry recently rejected a request by the blood centre to hire more staff. Akel’s Constantinos Constantinou wondered how “serious shortages” in blood stocks can exist while Cyprus has a solid track record in blood donations. Regarding the finance ministry denying the blood centre’s request, Constantinou asserted that health-related matters should not be treated as “accounting issues”. He added: “Donating blood is an act of solidarity. It is the state’s responsibility to ensure sufficient amounts of blood.” For her part, Alma MP Litsa Drousiotou spoke of blood banks in Famagusta, Larnaca and Paphos remaining closed due to lack of personnel. Her party proposes the creation of mobile blood banks. Miltos Miltiadous, head of the Federation of Patients’ Associations (Osak), said patients are issuing a “cry of anguish” over the lack of blood stocks. According to data presented by the health ministry in June this year, Cyprus ranked first in the world in voluntary unpaid blood donation relative to population size.