Héma-Québec is experiencing an unusually high rate of cancelled appointments

Montréal, April 6, 2022 – In recent days, the number of people in Québec cancelling or not showing up for their appointment to give blood has doubled. In the week of March 28 alone, this led to 800 fewer donations than the anticipated goal of almost 5,500 donations. And the trend is continuing well into this week.

While it is normal to see some cancelled or missed appointments, this is the first time that the phenomenon has reached this level since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This shortfall corresponds to the declaration of the sixth wave on March 30. But the need remains the same: every 80 seconds, someone in Québec requires blood. Every day, it takes 1,000 donations to meet the needs of hospitals.

Mobilization to maintain a sufficient supply of blood

The current trend cannot continue without eventually having an impact on our blood supply. Héma-Québec is launching a call for help in reaching the number of donations required.

Booking an appointment is the preferred option to ensure proper planning for donors’ safely, especially in the context of the pandemic. Héma-Québec invites everyone who can to plan on donating now and making an appointment on the Héma-Québec's website at www.hema-quebec.qc.ca or by calling 1 800 343-7264 (SANG).

Persons passing by a blood drive or donor centre are encouraged to check the possibility of making a blood donation on site. Héma-Québec also asks everyone who has booked an appointment but cannot make it not to forget to cancel.

Safety measures have been in place since the start of the pandemic to ensure that giving blood is a safe experience, by protecting donors, volunteers and employees who make this gift of life possible. It is important to underscore that the supply of blood products to hospitals remains normal. Héma-Québec is meeting all their needs.

About Héma-Québec

Héma-Québec’s mission is to efficiently meet the Québec population’s needs for blood and other high-quality biological products of human origin. Héma-Québec has over 1,400 employees, nearly 200,000 donors of blood, stem cells, mother’s milk and human tissues, as well as thousands of blood drive volunteers. Every year, Héma-Québec delivers over 800,000 biological products of human origin to Québec’s hospitals in order to meet patients’ needs.

Give blood. Give life.

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Information: Héma-Québec • Media Line | 514-832-0871 • www.hema-quebec.qc.ca

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