Blood donors urged to visit GPs over anaemia fears

Thousands of Irish blood donors are being advised to visit their doctors if they are experiencing symptoms of anaemia.

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) is writing to about 90,000 regular donors who gave blood over an 18-month period to say it will cover the cost of GP visits if donors are experiencing the symptoms.

Last November, it was discovered that equipment being used by the service from July 2014 to November 2015 was faulty.

The fault meant that low haemoglobin levels in donors were not detected.

As a result, donors could have developed anaemia as a result of donating blood.

The IBTS stopped taking donations from women until the equipment was replaced with functioning devices.

It also urged concerned donors to contact their GPs if they felt unwell.

The IBTS is now contacting all regular blood donors during the 18-month period to tell them that the service will cover the cost of the GP visit.

Letters

A first batch of letters went out to donors earlier this week. The rest will go out over the next two weeks.

The service has said it will recoup some of the costs involved from the manufacturer of the faulty equipment.

Extra helpline staff have been rostered by the service to field calls from donors after the letters arrive.