Australian Red Cross Lifeblood has issued an urgent appeal for an additional 6,000 blood donors nationally, including 1,500 from Queensland, following severe shortages caused by ex-Cyclone Alfred.
The shortage arose from widespread donor centre closures and increased hospital demand ahead of the cyclone, significantly reducing blood and platelet stocks needed for life-saving medical procedures.
Gold Coast is facing a critical shortfall, urgently requiring 300 blood and plasma donors this week to meet local patient needs.
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6,000 additional blood donors required nationally, with Queensland needing 1,500.
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3,500 appointments cancelled due to closure of 22 donor centres.
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4,000 bags of blood are needed by hospitals daily across Australia.
Lifeblood Spokesperson Belinda Smetioukh highlighted the critical need: “We pre-emptively sent extra supplies of blood products, including platelets, to hospitals in the impacted region ahead of Alfred landing, but many of those platelets are now close to expiring. They are used to help people undergoing chemotherapy or to stop bleeding during surgery or after a major trauma.”
Interstate blood donations from Victoria, New South Wales, and Western Australia have already been dispatched to Queensland, with further support expected to be needed over the coming days.
Additional appointments have been opened in other states, with Lifeblood calling on eligible new and returning donors nationwide to book urgently via lifeblood.com.au, the Donate Blood App, or by calling 13 14 95.