Seated in a corner of the Alain-Bashung village hall in Mouy (Oise), Estelle and Maryse regain their strength. A few minutes earlier, the blood of these two regular donors flowed into pockets, under the supervision of the nursing staff of the French Blood Establishment (EFS).
“I usually gave, but since the Covid, there are often slots to book only for half a day, I did not necessarily manage to get places, notes Maryse, a resident of Angy, a neighboring town. It’s the first time I’ve given in two years, I left my job to come. »
Near the performance stage, at the back of the hall, five donors, lying on long chairs, are waiting. Among them, Aziza, is also a regular. Aged 70, this retiree is entering her last year of giving before reaching the age limit. A universal donor (O negative) and regular for more than forty years, she receives telephone alerts from the French Blood Establishment when a collection is organized near her home. Just like his “collecting neighbour” Christophe, also informed. Like them, around sixty donors made an appointment during this four-hour collection.
A “responsiveness” and “generosity” which reassures Thomas Diart, the manager of the Picardy basin (Aisne, Somme, Oise) with the EFS. Because, at the national level, blood bags were sorely lacking. A situation which prompted the public establishment, for the first time since its creation in 2000, to issue a vital emergency bulletin on February 9.
“We were at 70,000 pockets in stock nationally, it went up to 109,000 pockets on March 3. For Hauts-de-France, we were at 6.5 days of stock on February 9, and on March 3 at 15 days of stock. In the Oise, we organize between 18 and 20 collections per month, and we collected a good twenty more pockets than we expected, ”summarizes Thomas Diart.
A donation “routine” to keep blood stocks afloat
With the epidemic context, blood donations were disrupted for two years. Corporate collections, which usually represent 25% of donations, had to be suspended. Same at the university level even if a return to normal is hoped for next school year. Difficulties that weaken the file of regular donors. “Each year, donors leave the file, reached by the age limit. At university, there is this group emulation, which means that young people often come to give to several people. When it is necessary to take a more personal approach, there is the fear of the unknown”, observes Thomas Diart.
If he emphasizes the generosity of donors in the Picardy basin, the manager insists on the need to install a “routine” of donation to keep blood stocks afloat. “We always encourage giving, all groups are important, we don’t target a particular group. What’s wrong is the regularity, if we don’t ask them, they don’t necessarily come back by themselves”, while it would take around 10,000 blood bags per day at the national level to be “quiet” .
To encourage new donors and retain the convinced, all means are good. The prefecture of Oise organized a collection in its premises in Beauvais on March 1st. The EFS also opts for collections within cultural venues. After a collection at the abbey of Valloires (Somme) on February 21, the donors are invited to the museum of art and archeology of Senlis on Monday March 28. Installed in the archeology rooms, they can enjoy a free half-hour guided tour.
Monday March 28, collection organized at the Senlis archeology museum, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
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