“We ask all citizens who have the opportunity to donate blood to come to the children’s hospitals “Agia Sophia”, “Gennimatas”, “Evangelismos”, “Laiko”, “Hippocrates” or “Nice”, which have Mediterranean anemia Units, or any hospital that can offer this gift of life to patients with multiple transfusions.” This appeal is addressed to the Panhellenic Association of Patients with Mediterranean Anemia and Sickle Cell Anemia, who again this year are going through a difficult summer due to lack of blood.

Such as said K. general secretary of the association, Joanna Mirilla, the shortage started in the last 15 days from “Agia Sophia”, where the largest number of patients is observed: more than 700 out of about 2500 in the country, who require 2-3 units of blood every 2-3 weeks. “In hospital wards for Mediterranean anemia, blood transfusions with Rh-negative group 0 are delayed for several days. If patients manage to find blood donors from their environment, then they receive one unit of blood instead of the required 2-3 units, and a new transfusion is prescribed a few days later. Small delays, which entail difficulties in finding places for new appointments, as well as half the amount of transfused blood, are also observed for Rh-positive blood type 0. Shortages also began to be observed in the Public General Hospital in Nice, while in the hospital “Gennimatas” they are also fighting,” says Ms. Mirilla, emphasizing: “We are captives. We cannot plan our daily life, our holidays. The system treats us like second-class citizens.”

During August, the problem will escalate due to the permits of the population donating blood, as well as donor personnel. And, as Mrs. Mirilla points out, this problem could and should have been foreseen with proper planning of blood sampling. According to representatives of the victims, the Ministry of Health and the National Blood Donation Center cannot cope with the constant and regular needs of multiple transfusions. The centralized blood management and coordination of 93 blood donors existing in the country’s hospitals has not been completed, and the creation of permanent blood donation cabinets has also been “frozen”.

“Only one is working in Egaleo, while four were planned in the basin until 2020,” Ms Mirilla says, noting: “Every year the same project. This is a tragedy, but we did not have a blood shortage only in 2018, when citizens donated blood after the tragedy in Mati.”