DRK puzzles over reasons
The lifeblood of blood could become scarce in the event of a catastrophe. The DRK warns of this. Is there a bottleneck for the Pforzheim clinics?
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Photo: Ameer Al Mohammedaw picture alliance / dpa
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The German Red Cross is sounding the alarm: Because not so many people are coming to donate blood, the situation is currently very tense, reports Michael Molitor from the blood donation service in Baden-Württemberg/Hessen, to which the DRK district association of Pforzheim-Enzkreis is affiliated.
“We’re also puzzled about why the willingness to donate in Pforzheim and the Enzkreis district, as well as elsewhere, has been declining sharply for several months,” says Molitor. “To find out, you would have to ask every donor who no longer comes.” The fact that stocks are just 1.5 days, where three to four days would otherwise have been standard, cannot only be due to Corona, he says.
“During the pandemic, however, we were able to rely on our donors and their help and were always able to meet very high needs from the hospitals.”
The reason for the decline is not just Corona
This is confirmed by the two large Pforzheim clinics Helios and Siloah St. Trudpert, which receive their blood from the DRK. On request, they will inform you that they now have a sufficient quantity. “The bottlenecks mentioned are not currently noticeable for us,” explains doctor Sofia Beckmann, who is responsible for transfusions in Siloah St. Trudpert.
Because Helios had fewer patients overall during the pandemic, the consumption of blood products even fell by 25 to 30 percent, reports Britt Schwenz, head of laboratory and transfusion medicine at Helios. Therefore, the provision has been reduced. For years, Helios blood has only been transferred after strict indication.
During the pandemic, the consumption of canned food at Helios decreased
“We currently have sufficient blood reserves in the clinic, both as part of emergency care and for planned procedures for patients in the house who need a transfusion,” says Beckmann from Siloah St. Trudpert. The delivered preparations are stored in the in-house laboratory. Will be ordered as needed. “What we order is usually transfused promptly.” This reduces the risk of decay, explains Beckmann.
We have to hope nothing happens.
Michael Molitor, DRK blood donation service
All well and good, says Michael Molitor from the DRK blood donation service. He points out that the DRK not only serves the Pforzheim clinics, but also almost all others in Baden-Württemberg. The supply is currently guaranteed. But what if there is a disaster with several injuries? “We have to hope nothing happens.”
“I assume that due to our extensive depot with all blood groups, we can continue to guarantee the provision individually,” explains Helios doctor Schwenz.
Silke F. from Pforzheim was a passionate blood donor for many years – until the Helios blood donation center closed five years ago. The control of some values associated with the blood donation gave the 63-year-old, who actually has a different name, a feeling of security.
Term: In the Enzkreis and Pforzheim, 76 blood donation campaigns are organized each year. According to the DRK, the next dates are on 13. Mai in Eisingen, am May 20th in Huchenfeld and on May 30th in Buechenbronn.
Blood type: According to the health magazine Apotheken Rundschau, 37 percent of people in Germany have blood group “A+”, around 35 percent have blood group “0+”. The blood group “B+” occurs in nine percent of people in Germany, the blood groups “A-” and “0-” in six percent each
The latter, blood group 0 with the Rhesus factor negative, is one of the rarest blood groups. What makes them so special is their ability to be compatible with all other blood types. Therefore, in emergencies, such as serious accidents, where you cannot wait for the patient’s blood group to be examined, preparations of 0-negative blood can always be used, says the DRK. slide
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“It was nice and close, you got a snack and you could talk to other donors in a nice way.” You would also get all that in one of the halls where the DRK regularly invites you to appointments. But she doesn’t like the atmosphere there. If the supply of patients with certain blood groups is suddenly no longer guaranteed, according to the Helios doctor Schwenz, one would have to fall back on the so-called universal blood group 0.
However, only around six percent of the population has this blood group, which is why it is somewhat more difficult to obtain, explains Beckmann. However, patients who are clinically stable can usually be “treated very well with intravenous or medicinal iron administration, so that a transfusion is not or will not be necessary”.
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