Health · Public Health & Disease · 50 mins ago
Argentina's blood donations fall short of hospitals' needs
Argentina has too few regular blood donors to meet the needs of its health services, the Hospital de Clínicas in Buenos Aires says.
Just 1.15% of the population donates blood, below the 3% to 5% considered necessary to meet demand.
The hospital receives 20 to 25 donations a day but needs 40 to 45.
Blood cannot be made artificially, and its components can only be stored for limited periods, so supplies need constant replenishment.
Donated blood supports surgeries, cancer treatment, transplants and emergencies, not just accident victims.
One donation can be separated into components that help as many as four people.
The hospital is urging people to donate voluntarily and regularly rather than waiting for appeals tied to individual cases.
Argentina’s blood donation rate is 1.15% of the population, below the 3% to 5% level considered necessary to meet health centres’ needs.
The Hospital de Clínicas in Buenos Aires receives an average of 20 to 25 donations a day but needs 40 to 45.
The hospital raised the shortfall on National Voluntary and Regular Blood Donor Day.
Blood is needed for emergencies and for care including surgery, cancer treatment, transplants and complicated births.
Blood cannot be made artificially, and its components have limited storage periods, so supplies need to be replenished continuously.
- Who
- Argentina’s blood donors and health centres, including the Hospital de Clínicas.
- What
- Blood donations fall short of hospitals’ needs. The Hospital de Clínicas receives 20 to 25 donations a day but needs 40 to 45.
- When
- National Voluntary and Regular Blood Donor Day; the article was published on 2026-11-09.
- Where
- Argentina, including the Hospital de Clínicas in Buenos Aires.
- Why
- Donations are needed to supply transfusions for medical care, and blood components cannot be stored indefinitely or produced artificially.
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- Argentina’s donation rate
- 1.15% of the population
- Recommended donation level
- 3% to 5% of the population
- Hospital de Clínicas daily donations
- 20 to 25
- Hospital de Clínicas daily need
- 40 to 45 donations
- Donation’s potential reach
- Components from one donation can help up to four patients
What people are saying
La sangre se necesita permanentemente porque cualquiera de nosotros puede requerir recibir sangre por distintos motivos, ya sea en situaciones de emergencia o no, y debe poder contar con una transfusión en el momento que la requiere