Thousands more people could now be able to donate blood in Malta following the removal of a restriction affecting those who previously lived in the United Kingdom.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Ian Borg announced the change, saying it could allow around 15,000 British people living in Malta to start donating blood.
The announcement marks a significant change for people who had previously been prevented from donating because of their history of residence in the UK.
Why Was The Restriction In Place?
The restriction was connected to concerns surrounding variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), a rare condition associated with exposure to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as “mad cow disease”.
Malta’s blood donation rules had previously permanently deferred people who had spent a cumulative period of six months or more in the United Kingdom between 1980 and 1996.
That specific UK residence restriction has now been removed.
Around 15,000 People Could Be Affected
Announcing the decision, Borg said:
“Qed titneħħa restrizzjoni fuq l-għoti tad-demm għal persuni li għexu fir-Renju Unit.”
He added that the decision means around 15,000 British people in Malta will be able to start donating blood.
The change could therefore significantly increase Malta’s pool of potential blood donors.
Normal Blood Donation Requirements Still Apply
Importantly, removing the UK residence restriction does not mean that every person previously affected will automatically qualify to donate.
Potential donors must still meet the National Blood Transfusion Service’s normal eligibility requirements, with individual suitability for donation assessed according to the applicable criteria.
Anyone who was previously unable to donate specifically because they had lived in the UK during the affected period can now check their eligibility with the National Blood Transfusion Service.
Where Can You Donate Blood In Malta?
The National Blood Donation Centre in G’Mangia accepts blood donations daily, including on public holidays, between 8am and 6pm.
Blood donation sessions are also organised through the Mobile Blood Donation Unit and in Gozo on selected dates.
For people who have wanted to donate but were previously excluded solely because of their UK residence history, the rule change could now provide an opportunity to do so.
