Health Minister Ian Borg has announced that a restriction on blood donation for people who have lived in the United Kingdom is being lifted as from today.

During a meeting with the British High Commissioner Victoria Busby, the Minister said that ”through this decision, around 15,000 British people in Malta will be able to start donating blood.”

He said that the decision was taken after scientific research and long-term surveillance showed that there is no longer a risk of this disease, which was present in the United Kingdom during those years, being transmitted through blood donation today. The decision also follows updated guidelines issued by the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM).

Malta first introduced the ban around 20 years ago as a precaution against Mad Cow Disease (Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease) to anyone who had lived in the UK between 1980 and 1996 for a period of six months or more.

“During the meeting with the High Commissioner, we discussed this very restriction at a time when the necessary work to review it was already underway. Today, thanks to the research and scientific studies that have been carried out, we are removing it and giving more people the opportunity to play their part. I take this opportunity to reiterate my appeal for everyone to do their part – donating blood is a noble gesture that saves lives,” said the HealthMinister.

Dr Monique Debattista, Responsible Person and Medical Director within the National Blood Transfusion Service, explained that the Service’s register includes around 350 people who had previously expressed their wish to donate blood but were unable to do so because of this restriction. They will now be contacted and encouraged to become donors, either for the first time or once again after many years.

“We are truly pleased with this change because we know that there are a substantial number of people who wish to donate blood but who, because of this restriction, were unable to do so for many years. We will now be able to welcome back donors who had to stop donating, while also welcoming new donors,” said Dr Debattista.

British resident Sara Hazzard, who was among the first people able to donate blood following the removal of the restriction, said that the British community had long been waiting for this change and encouraged those who, until now, were unable to donate blood to come forward and do so.

She said that, ”it was a truly rewarding experience to finally be able to give something back to the community through this opportunity. I would like to encourage the many friends and family members who often ask whether they can donate blood to now follow my example and do the same.”

 

File Photo: NBTS

Permalink: Former UK residents can now donate blood as Malta lifts ban