1991
This year saw the completion and commissioning of a walk-in cold room at the National Blood Transfusion Centre situated at G’Mangia, in order to store the blood components collected.
1992
During this year the Blood Transfusion / Donation Service commenced at Gozo General Hospital.
1997
A Blood Mobile Unit was bought by the Government of Malta to be used by the National Blood Transfusion Service, to go around Malta’s villages and places of work, were donors can donate blood at their convenience and minimising travelling time to donate blood. The Minister of Health, Care for the Elderly and Family Affairs, Dr. Michael Farrugia, stated in his speech for the occassion that, the more donors donate blood the more the Government can expand its services; since more operations are done the more blood is needed, (L-Orizzont, 3rd October, 1997).
The Blood donation mobile unit was inaugurated in December 1997. ‘This unit will increase the capability and flexibility of the blood donation service’. During this year there were 16,842 donations of blood and blood products made at the National Blood Transfusion Service.
1998
Dr. A. Aquilina has been appointed Director of the National Blood Transfusion Service. Also, a Blood Bank database management system was introduced on the 28th of October.
2002
The Malta Blood Donors Association, in collaboration with the International Federation of Blood Donor Organisations (IFBDO), setup an international conference about co-operation between Mediterranean countries for the development of non-remunerated blood donation in Malta. read more
World Blood Donors Day, 2002. ‘Donating blood is not just a noble gesture, but something absolutely necessary for people with a severe blood disorder. For those who need to be transfused, life simply epends on the generosity of blood donors’.
These concepts were reiterated effectively in a speech delivered by the President of Malta Profs. Guido de Marco at a ceremony held at the Blood Transfusion Centre, close to St. Luke’s Hospital, on May 23. He was accompanied by Health Minister Dr. Louis Deguara and ‘shadow minister’ Dr. Michael Farrugia, as well as representatives of the local trade unions. read more
During this year, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta blood bank was moved to St. Philip Hospital, Sta. Venera.
2003
The Sovereign Military Order of Malta considering future of its blood bank as blood donations at this bank has fallen to such an extent that the Order is considering shutting down its blood bank.
In fact, the National Blood Transfusion Centre, to which Sovereign Military Order of Malta donated all the blood it collected, saw a drop of over 650 donations last year. However, there was a 20 per cent increase in donations to the centre’s blood mobile unit, (Times of Malta.com, 7th August 2003).
2004
The Sovereign Military Order of Malta continued to do their utmost to try and attract blood donors as these have been consistently declining over the past three years. In 2001, the blood bank received blood from 2,014 donors but this figure dipped slightly to 1,921 in 2002 and continued to drop to 1,380 donors last year, (Times of Malta.com, 26th February 2004).
2005
On the 14th of June 2005, the Maltese Blood Donors Association commemorated World Blood Donors Day. For the occasion President of Malta Dr. Edward Fenech Adami visited the Blood Mobile Unit, while Prime Minister Dr. Lawrence Gonzi and opposition leader Dr. Alfred Sant visited the National Blood Transfusion Service. Archbishop Mgr. Joseph Mercieca visited the Sovereign Military Order of Malta blood bank, (In-Nazzjon, 15th June,2005).
2006
Dr. Stefan Laspina was appointed Consultant in Charge of Transfusion Medicine. Thus, the transfusion service has been split in two: the Blood Establishment which is responsible for the recruitment of donors, collection, processing, testing and distribution of blood; and the Hospital Blood Bank which forms part of the pathology department is responsible for the actual cross matching of blood to patients and clinical issues.
During this year, the Blood Transfusion Service department participated in an EU project (EU-Q-SOP) with the aim of improving and standardizing transfusion services in Europe. This year saw also the introduction of the Human Blood and Transplant Act, to regulate the collection and testing of human blood and blood components. Malta was accepted as a member of the European Blood Alliance.
The Sovereign Military Order of Malta blood bank closed down its’ doors. The Blood Bank in Malta was set up in 1968 and was originally run by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta Metropolitan Cathedral Chapter of Malta. In 1973, it passed into the hands of the Grand Magistry of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta with its headquarters in Rome. In November, 2000, its management was passed on to the Maltese Association of Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
2007
Official opening of the new donation area on the 14th of May, ‘…The blood donor is that healthy person who voluntarily undergoes the inconvenience of spending time, sometimes hours and who donates a part of himself, blood, to save other people’s lives. These people deserve the gratitude of our society, they deserve the best. This is one way of showing our gratitude for the lives they have helped to save…’ this was stated by the Director and Responsible Person of the department Dr. A. Aqilina in his speech for the occassion.
Post graduate courses in transfusion medicine were launched this year at the University of Malta. The Hospital Blood Bank also moved to the new centre at the newly opened Mater Dei Hospital.
2008
An external audit was carried out for the first time, to assess the National Blood Transfusion Service conformance to European Blood Banking legislation and standards. The department is participating in 2 projects; one related to Donor Management – Best Practice and the other on Inspections and the Production of a Training Manual for Inspections (EUBIS). Apart from these, the department is also an active participant in the European Blood Alliance.
2009
Inauguration of the blood mobile unit after extensive refurbishment.
‘Parliamentary Secretary for Health Dr. Joe Cassar said around 15,000 people donated blood last year – an increase of over 1,660 from 2007. Even though the mobile unit truck was not functional, last year 206 blood drives (setup in clinics, factories etc.) were organised in which 3,124 units of blood were collected – an increase of 685 units from 2007. Dr. Cassar said the new mobile unit is ready to visit towns and villages to continue collecting blood to save people’s lives.
Dr. Alex Aquilina, Medical Director at the National Blood Transfusion Service, thanked the public for their immediate response to the blood bank’s urgent appeal for blood. Last week, the blood bank issued a statement saying that its supply was very low and called on people to donate. Dr. Aquilina said the response was very positive’ (Times of Malta.com, 27th January, 2009).
2009
As a result of a successful external audit, the National Blood Transfusion Service was officially granted licence to operate in accordance with EU regulations.
On the occasion of World Blood Donors Day of the mentioned year, the National Blood Transfusion Service has redesigned the whole website to bring it in line with new technologies and make it more appealing to the general public.
Due to new clinical developments, donors who are between the age of 60 and 62 and in good health are eligible to donate blood for the first time and can continue to donate until they are of age 64 without exceeding 6 months between donations. Donors still need to be interviewed by a medical officer who will decide donor suitability on a case by case basis.
2010
The National Blood Transfusion Service has launched a new leaflet with the title “Titħajjar Tagħti d-Demm ?”, with the aim of informing possible donors on the process of blood donation.
Dr. A. Aquilina holding the new information flyer on blood donation.
The Maltese have second highest willingness to donate blood among Europeans. This emerged in a poll published during this year, ahead of the World Blood Donors Day. Highest levels of willingness to donate are in Sweden (83%), Malta with the second highest willingness (77%) and both Finland and Belgium are third with 72%. Read more
On the occasion of World Blood Donors Day 2010, a meeting was held at the National Blood Transfusion Service premises for all those who help collect blood by organizing blood drives.
In August, the Maltese Blood Donors Association in collaboration with International Youth Forum (IYC), International Federation of Blood Donor Organisations (FIODS) organized the 10th Youth Forum.
Also, in September 2010 a board meeting of European Blood Alliance was held in Malta.