Australian Red Cross Lifeblood is appealing for an extra 500 Australians with an O blood type to make a donation each day, to boost their critical supplies.
The extra donations are needed over this next fortnight after stocks reached their lowest point in a year.
Both O Positive and O Negative blood types are needed, as they are the universal blood type and are the most frequently ordered by hospitals.
Lifeblood executive director Stuart Chesneau said the demand for O blood types was increasing despite more people donating than ever before.
“This year we have seen demand increase by more than three per cent, making it the highest in a decade and we expect it to continue to grow in the coming years,” Chesneau said.
“To ensure we continue to meet the needs of patients across the country, we need everyone who is eligible – more than 13 million people – to become blood and plasma donors,” he said.
“We also need our existing donors to donate more often.
“If they could give just one more donation each year it would make a huge difference, especially to lives of those who receive it.”
He said fewer than seven per cent of Australians had an O Negative type but 40 per cent had an O Positive type.
(9 NEWS)
