O negative is the emergency blood type
The Blood Service is looking for more blood type O Rh negative donors, i.e. donors of the emergency blood type, which is first administered in accident situations and surgical emergencies. It can save anyone of us. If you do not know your blood type, you can find out by donating blood.
The Finnish Red Cross Blood Service is always in need of new blood donors in order to ensure the steady availability of blood products in hospitals, both now and in the future. Blood type O negative donors in particular are needed in order to secure the continued supply of so-called “emergency blood”.
Although the use of red cell components in hospitals has been in decline for a long while, the use of emergency blood has increased proportionately. O negative blood must always be in storage in hospitals for sudden needs and major incidents.
Emergency blood saves in emergency situations
In accident situations, there is seldom enough time to determine the blood type of a patient with a life-threatening haemorrhage. In such a situation, the most certain way to save the patient’s life is to use emergency blood, or blood type O negative, which is suitable for everyone.
Even a single patient may dramatically increase the need for O negative blood. In surgical emergencies and sudden major haemorrhage situations, the patient may need dozens of bags of blood at a time.
O negative donors are always needed
We have a continuous demand for O negative donors, because, in relative terms, the consumption of emergency blood in hospitals exceeds the number of donors in the population.
If you know that your blood type is O negative, please join the group of life-savers. Encourage your close family members to donate blood as well, as they may also have this specific blood type of “heroes” flowing through their veins! If you do not know your blood type, you will find out once you have donated blood for the first time.
Follow the need for your blood group
Currently, a little less than 8 per cent of all blood donors are O negative. There are some 10,000 active donors. Around 5 per cent of Finns have type O negative blood, so this group donates a bit more frequently than others.
We invite O negative donors as well as other blood type groups by texting, calling or emailing them. If you receive an invitation to donate blood, you are really needed! In addition, we inform the public about the need for O negative blood via the blood drops on our website as well as through social media.