Positive response to appeal for more blood donors

Majorca residents responded to an appeal for blood made by the president of the Blood Donors Association of Majorca, Victor Gistau, and Dr Josep Muncunill, managing director of the Blood and Tissue Bank of the Balearics. Dr Muncunill had announced on Thursday that blood reserves in Majorcan hospitals were below minimum and hinted that some operations might have to be postponed. In response to the appeal, in just 24 hours 159 donations were made. A spokesman for the blood donors association said that the “response had been very positive” and a lot of people had phoned to ask where they could give blood and what were the requisites. Health minister Aina Salom said that no operations had been postponed and said that shortages were normal after a long holiday period. She added that in the case of emergency, blood supplies could be brought in from other parts of the country. She also said that the Balearics has the second highest number of donors in Spain. The Blood Donors Association will park its mobile donors unit in various parts of Palma from Monday to January 18, between 10.30am and 1.30pm and 4.30 and 8.30pm. Donors must be aged between 18 and 65, weigh more than 50 kilos, be in good health, not suffer anaemia and have normal blood presure. People who have had body piercing over the past year cannot give blood nor can people who have been in Britain for up to six months between the years 1980 and 1996.