Catalonia's annual blood drive kicks off with target of 10,000 donations

Catalonia's annual blood donation drive (La Marató de Donants de Sang de Catalunya) kicked off on Thursday with the aim of reaching 10,000 donations in a week. 

As is the case every January, blood reserves are low due to a drop in donations over the Christmas holidays, and the increase in viruses such as the flu. 

For this reason, the Blood Bank is promoting its traditional campaign to increase reserves, which are currently at four days, when the ideal is eight. 

"It costs little and means a lot," says Neus, donating at the Avenida Palace hotel in Barcelona, which became a donation point on Thursday. "It's a gesture for everyone," she adds.  

The campaign lasts until January 19 and donations can be made at major hospitals and at 70 additional sites across Catalonia.

70,000 people will need blood transfusions 

At the launch of this year's donation drive on Tuesday, the Blood and Tissue Bank said it estimated that more than 70,000 people admitted to hospitals throughout Catalonia during 2024 will need a transfusion of blood, plasma or platelets from blood donations. 

The organization calculates that over the course of the year more than 260,000 donations will be needed to cover the demand. 

Drop in donations in 2023  

According to data from the Blood Bank, donations made during 2023 fell throughout Catalonia compared to the previous year, especially in the province of Barcelona. 

Last year 247,677 donations were made throughout Catalonia, while in 2022 there were 253,494. 

In the Barcelona region, 170,122 donations were made in 2023, down from 173,897 in 2022. 

In Girona, donations also fell from 30,550 to 29,348, while in Tarragona donations went from just over 32,000 in 2022 to 31,115 last year. 

Lleida was the only region where donations increased slightly in 2023, to 17,092.