"We're afraid donors will get discouraged": Mobile blood drives under threat

Due to a lack of nurses, doctors , and drivers, the French Blood Establishment has been forced to cancel mobile blood donation drives in several French regions since spring. This is causing great concern among voluntary donor associations.

"We're afraid that donors won't come back, that they'll get discouraged," the president of a Vaucluse association told RMC . In his region, around ten collections were canceled this summer, including the only one planned for his village in August. So, there won't be any before October, at best.

"How do you maintain a connection with donors during all this time?" he asks.

And it's not just Vaucluse. Poitou, Vienne, and Corsica are also affected, according to volunteers. But the region experiencing the most difficulties is Alsace, with around thirty blood drives canceled since June. Between Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin, nine more nurses and two more doctors are needed to keep them running, according to the French Blood Service (EFS).

A complicated situation, linked on the one hand to vacations and sick leave , but also due to a structural shortage of caregivers in the region, when they could be employed in Switzerland, Germany, or Luxembourg, with much better salaries.

Nationally, 70 nursing positions and around 30 medical positions are available within the EFS. These positions come with specific constraints, but they are necessary.

64% of donations are made through mobile collections. The EFS and volunteers are working hard to maintain as many as possible, especially since the summer holidays mean donations are down. Yet, donating anywhere in France is very simple; simply make an appointment online. A single donation can help save up to four people's lives.