Cyprus’ Blood Centre on Monday appealed to the public to donate blood, warning that daily demand has risen to around 350 units and that stocks must be continually replenished to meet patients’ needs.

Head of the Blood Centre, Androula Panayiotou, urged people who have not yet left for their summer holidays, or who have already returned, to donate blood.

She said the drop in donations during August is a recurring problem each year, as many regular donors are away on holiday.

Panayiotou said the Blood Centre opened its donation stations over the weekend, with the public responding positively, but warned that stocks would begin to decline again if donations did not continue over the coming days.

“The military gave us significant support last week, but we need the backing of society as a whole,” she said, adding that the centre is particularly in need of new blood donors.

She stressed that demand for blood does not fall during the holiday period.

“Illnesses, accidents and patients who require regular transfusions do not go on holiday,” she said. “The pressure is constant and the need for blood has increased considerably.”

According to Panayiotou, daily demand has more than doubled since the Covid-19 pandemic, rising from around 150 units to approximately 350 units a day.

She attributed the increase to a rise in the number and complexity of surgical procedures carried out in both public and private hospitals, which require larger quantities of blood.

She also said patients with thalassaemia are living longer and therefore require blood transfusions over a longer period.

The blood groups currently under the greatest pressure are O positive, O negative and A negative, she added.

Panayiotou said limited blood supplies primarily affect scheduled operations and transfusions for patients who depend on regular treatment, including people with thalassaemia, blood disorders, leukaemia and other forms of cancer. She added that needs are assessed continuously to ensure the most urgent cases are prioritised.

While the Blood Centre continues to organise blood donation drives at shopping centres and in mountain communities, where participation from visitors has been encouraging, Panayiotou said these efforts are not enough to meet consistently high demand.

She noted that many scheduled workplace and community blood drives are suspended during August because of the holiday season, although collections continue in some mountain areas.

To make donating easier, the Blood Centre also plans to keep donation stations open on Saturdays.

The blood donation centres in Yeri and Engomi operate every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, while other centres open according to the schedule of mobile blood donation drives and staff availability.

Panayiotou stressed that there is currently no blood shortage, but said maintaining adequate supplies requires a steady flow of donors throughout the summer.