asked the Minister for Defence if he will state if a decision has been taken as to the launching of a better publicity campaign to attract blood donors; whether prospective blood donors can be accepted in the forenoon as well as afternoon; whether the taking of blood from donors is attended by civilian as well as Army doctors, and whether consideration has been given to the operating of a mobile unit so that centres close to Dublin could be visited for accepting donors of blood.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Blood Donors.
In my reply of the 20th June, 1945, to a previous question regarding the National Blood Donation Centre, details were given regarding the publicity campaign being conducted for the recruitment of donors. Since then, an advertising scheme has been initiated in the Dublin daily Press and a broadcast talk has been given. The question of intensifying the present efforts to secure further donors will be examined in the light of the results of the current campaign. The majority of donors find the afternoon a more suitable time, since they are then free to call to the centre and are afforded an opportunity of having a period of rest afterwards—a very desirable factor from the medical point of view. For this reason, the advantages to be gained from having the centre opened in the forenoon would be very small. The medical registrar of the centre is a civilian doctor, but only Army medical officers attend for blood withdrawals. Consideration has been given to the question of operating a mobile unit in proximity to Dublin but, in view of the amount and expensive nature of equipment required and the disproportionate overhead charges likely to be incurred, it is considered that such a scheme would not be practicable.