Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the management of blood supply and demand in Turkey

INTRODUCTION: Coronovirus disease(COVID-19)rapidly spread worldwide after its first report in December 2019,in China.This spread drastically reduced the number of blood donations,thereby creating a shortage at blood banks in the whole world.Turkish Red Crescent(TRC) is the only legal authority that organizes collection,production,storage and distribution of blood and blood components in Turkey.Only in case of emergencyTRC gives permanent permission to hospitals;for collecting blood and producing its components through their own transfusion centers.This report describes how theCOVID-19 impacted blood supplies ofTRC and hospital demands in Turkey with an aim to improve the management of blood supply and demand during theCOVID-19 and future pandemics. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted for a period of nine months;from November 1,2019 to July 31,2020.Data were retrospectively obtained from donor attendance and blood inventory records ofTRC and included;1)the number of donated units of apheresis platelet concentrates(APC) and blood toTRC,2)the number of units ofAPC and erythrocyte suspensions(ES) supplied by the hospitals themselves,3)the number of units of APC andES supplied to hospitals by TRC(APCHandESH).The periods before(first period) and after(third period)arrival of COVID-19 to Turkey are compared. RESULTS: An increase of 52%in the number of APCdonations,but a decrease of 22% in the number of blood donations(NBD) were detected in the third period compared to the first one.Mean APCH were 7081±550 and5121±255 units in the first and third periods,respectively.The mean ESH in the first period was 873±326 units,while it was3694±3143 units in the third period. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: It is obvious that we have learnt many lessons from theCOVID-19 pandemic,like how to face challenges in maintaining the balance between blood demandandblood supply.Utilizing media to encourage donors and implementation of PatientBloodManagement on national and institutional levels may be some some of the key components of a comprehensive strategy.The collaboration ofMinistry of Health,TRC and hospitalswassuccessful in securing a balance between blood supply and demand in Turkey,which COVID-19 pandemic impacted significantly.