Blood donors participate voluntarily in maintaining preparedness

The significance of the voluntary work of blood donors is emphasized in exceptional situations, such as pandemics, extensive societal disruptions, or the threat of military conflict. It is important that there is a large number of blood donors in Finland so that they can be quickly available when they are most needed.

The Blood Service is the only operator of its kind in Finland, whose task is to ensure the functionality and safety of patient care through blood products and services. Annually, 40,000 patients need blood, for example, in surgeries, disease treatments, as well as childbirths and accidents. Blood products are “fresh products” that cannot be stored for long periods. For example, platelet products, which are vital for cancer patients, expire within a few days. Blood cannot be manufactured artificially; each blood bag comes from a voluntary donor.

The coronavirus pandemic a few years ago and the current change in the security environment have both further emphasized the importance of preparedness. In Finland, only 3% of the population of donation age donates blood annually. Strengthening the blood donor group and acquiring new donors is therefore one of the most important preparedness goals of the Blood Service. Annually, over 20,000 new donors are needed to ensure that healthcare has access to blood products daily and in crisis situations.

You can improve our society’s readiness for crisis situations by donating blood

We also prepare for exceptional situations at the Blood Service in many other ways. For example:

• With the help of our mobile app, we can quickly communicate emergency situations and provide instructions to donors.
• Our blood donation bus can flexibly move to where the blood donors are.
• We have also started collecting plasma from blood donors. It is important to have the expertise to collect plasma in Finland for exceptional situations.

The Blood Service operates permanently in ten locations and continuously collects blood at blood donation events around Finland. In addition to the blood donation bus, the Blood Service has two other buses designed to transport staff and equipment to blood donation events around Finland. Additionally, we use transport services from contract partners.

Welcome to the group of lifesavers! Familiarize yourself with our online test and check if you can donate. Then book a time for blood donation or stop by to see if we have available times. If you cannot donate blood yourself, please spread the word!