With blood reserves depleted to just a week's supply, the Luxembourg Red Cross is calling on eligible residents to donate immediately to prevent shortages in hospitals.
The Luxembourg Red Cross has issued an urgent appeal for blood donors, warning that current reserves are only sufficient to supply the country's hospitals for approximately one week.
According to Dr Andrée Heinricy of the Red Cross's Blood Transfusion Centre, donations have declined in recent weeks. She cited the recent school holidays and the ongoing flu season as contributing factors. "After a cold, one should wait at least two weeks before donating blood again", Dr Heinricy explained, noting that the deferral period extends to a full month for influenza or Covid-19. She emphasised the critical need to replenish stocks now to ensure a safe supply throughout the upcoming holiday period.
The urgency of maintaining donor levels was underscored in a parallel political development. On Wednesday, MP and former Minister of Health Mars di Bartolomeo of the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP) presented a bill in the parliamentary labour committee proposing a special four-hour leave for blood donation in the private sector.
The current government's position, as stated by Minister of Labour Georges Mischo, is that such leave should be arranged through collective agreements rather than legislation. Minister Mischo expressed hope that more employers would adopt this measure voluntarily.
The Red Cross encourages all eligible individuals to donate blood or plasma. Key requirements for donors include being at least 18 years of age, weighing over 50kg, and being in good health. Further information on eligibility and donation sites is available on the organisation's website.
