FAQs
All necessary measures to ensure safety for the donor and staff are in place. These include: temperature measurement at the entry point, use of hand sanitisers, use of masks / visors, and social distancing.
If you have received the Covid-19 vaccine you have to leave two days from vaccination before giving blood. Should you develop mild symptoms post-vaccination, kindly return for blood donation seven days from symptom cessation.
Following blood donation, seven days should also elapse before receiving Covid-19 vaccine.
In principle, no more than 15% of an individual’s total blood volume (TBV) should be collected. TBV depends on weight, height and gender.
At the start of the donation, 30ml is collected in the diversion pouch. This pouch serves to minimise the risk of contamination of the blood collected from skin micro-organisms. Subsequently, approximately 475 mL of blood is collected during a blood donation. Slightly less volume (450mL) is collected from low-TBV donors so as not to exceed the 15% TBV collected.
Your body will replace the liquid part of the donation within 24 hours when there is adequate fluid intake. Red cells need a few weeks for complete replacement. Donors are advised to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet that is rich in iron to replenish iron stores.
Donors should avoid strenuous activity for the day of donation. Donors are also advised to avoid weight lifting and scuba diving for 3 days.
To donate blood one has to be 18 years old. New donors above the age of 65 are not accepted. However, regular donors are allowed to donate blood until their 70th birthday, if one has donated blood at least once during the previous year. 17 years are allowed to donate with parents / guardians written consent. No other consent forms other than the official NBTS Consent Form are accepted.
The minimum required weight is 50kg.
In the case of female donors weighing between 50kg and 65kg, the minimum required weight is calculated according to the donor’s height to ensure that there is sufficient total blood volume.
No. You cannot get HIV or any other disease by giving blood. The materials used for your donation are new, sterile and disposable and are for one-time use only.
Persons who are receiving oral medication to control high blood pressure are advised to contact the NBTS on 7930 7307 or freephone 8007 4313 to discuss the matter with our Medical Officers, who will then decide on the eligibility of the donor. Some people taking blood pressure medication may be eligible for donation; however, these cases are discussed on an individual basis when the donor visits a donation site. The BP on the day also needs to be within a certain range.
Persons with high cholesterol levels, whether controlled by diet or medication, are allowed to donate blood.
Donors being treated with bisphosphonates are eligible to donate blood. One should consult with our Medical Officers prior to blood donation, stating the exact type of medication, form and dose of treatment.
Asthmatics who are not on any treatment may donate blood. If the donor is on treatment, s/he is advised to contact the Centre to discuss the treatment with the Medical Officer, as donation depends on whether or not the asthma is ‘controlled’ as well as the treatment being taken.
If the donor’s Hb on the day of donation is adequate for donation (≥12.5 g/dL for females and ≥13.5 g/dL for males), the donor may donate. In addition, the donor should not have undergone a gastroscopy during the preceding four months.
In general, donors are encouraged to provide prescriptions / discharge letters when attending Blood Donation Centres.
Seven days after root canal treatment, dental capping (crown or veneer), or having a tooth removed. For other dental procedures, it would be best to contact us and discuss with our medical officers.
For traceability reasons and due to logistical matters, we only accept donors with a valid Maltese identification document which includes a Maltese ID Card number (accepted documents are a Maltese ID card, Maltese Passport, Maltese Driving Licence, e-Residence Card for foreigners or a Diplomatic Card in cases of Diplomats). Thus, residents who are not originally Maltese nationals with a Maltese I.D. card are allowed to donate, pending the donor selection process.
Residence in the UK seems to be a major risk factor for vCJD (variant Creutzfeld Jacob Disease; commonly referred to as “mad cow disease”). Since there is no test available for the detection of vCJD, all donors who have lived in the UK for a cumulative period of 6 months or more between 1980 and 1996 are permanently deferred from blood donation.
The directive has been implemented in all European countries, US, Australia and Canada. It is a safety measure against a theoretical risk. However, since there is a potential transmission of vCJD via a transfusion, it is advisable to implement this protocol. In the UK and the Republic of Ireland, some of the measures introduced in 2004 in relation to vCJD were recently withdrawn. NBTS Malta is monitoring the situation and will review the deferral accordingly.
Donors are requested to get in touch with NBTS immediately if they feel unwell during the first 5 days post-donation since this might affect the fate of their donation. One can call us all week from 8.00 a.m. till 6.00 p.m. on telephone number 2206 6201. You may also SMS on 7930 7307 or e-mail us at customercare.nbts@gov.mt anytime.
No. Currently, there are no charges to private hospitals for this service. However, it is estimated that to process, screen and make blood available to patients cost the National Blood Transfusion Service ~€150 per unit of red cells.
This is not true. Currently, there are no charges to private hospitals for our service. Blood is given to patients in whom it is indicated, regardless of whether the patient is in a state or private hospital. There is no preference. On occasions when there is a shortage of blood, blood is given to the patients most in need. On rare occasions, non-urgent (elective) operations may be postponed.
