Belgium is facing a critical shortage of blood from Rh-positive persons, the Red Cross warns, urging potential donors to come forward.
The charity says it can only meet half of hospitals’ needs for such blood.
“In four weeks, the end-of-year holidays will be here, with fewer collections, and donors on holiday," the Red Cross warns “Without fast action and a massive mobilisation of donors with a negative blood type the situation will continue to worsen from week to week.”
The Red Cross Blood Service is therefore urgently appealing to people who are Rh-negative to donate at their collection points.
The shortage is especially dire for the O negative (O-) blood type due to its universal donor characteristic. This type of blood is used by default in emergencies when the patient’s blood group is not yet known or when the corresponding blood reserves are unavailable.
As a result, the O- group accounts for 11%to 12% of transfusion requirements while only 6 to 7% of the general population actually belong to the group.
