An urgent call for more black donors has gone out, as there are short supplies of the blood type needed to treat the increasing number of patients suffering from sickle cell disease.
New figures released for National Blood Week [June 13 to 19] and World Sickle Cell Awareness Day [June 19] show hospital demand for Ro is up 57% over the past five years.
There is an urgent need for donors with Ro blood. Only 2% of our donors have Ro type blood. Collecting enough is a constant challenge. Ro is often used to save people with the rare blood disorder, sickle cell disease. Ro blood is ten times more common in black people than in white people.
London Regional Director of Public Health Professor Kevin Fenton said: “In 2021, there were around 17,000 blood donors that were Black – making up just 1.5% of the total number of donors in England. Black donors are saving more and more lives and we’re making progress together, but this data shows we still have a long way to go.
“Sickle cell disorder, which is more common in people of Black heritage, is the fastest growing genetic disorder in the UK with 13,000-15,000 current cases. To treat it, patients need regular blood transfusions from people of the same blood type. But some blood groups – such as O Rh positive and B Rh positive – are more prevalent among Black communities, meaning there is a significant need for more donors from these communities.
“As a person of Black Caribbean heritage, I know how important it is to address the long-standing health disparities across our country. We need all communities to work together to improve the lives of thousands of people, especially around World Sickle Cell Day this Sunday.
“Due to the shortage of Black donors, the NHS can only supply the best-matched blood in around 50% of transfusions for people with sickle cell disorder, substituting O negative for the other donations. If blood is not donated from the same blood type, there is an increased risk the patient will have a bad reaction.
“This is where readers of The African Voice newspaper come in! By donating blood, you could save someone’s life. Giving blood is easy and safe and through a donation that takes just one hour, you can save three lives or transform the life of a person with sickle cell disease.
“It’s National Blood Week this week, so there has never been a better time to take action. Please, head over to a Blood Donor Centre, find out your blood type and donate – by doing so, you could save lives.”
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