New plasma center in Ieper attracts donors within one month

The Rode Kruis Vlaanderen opened a new plasma center at the Jan Ypermanziekenhuis in Ieper, Belgium, to increase the local supply of plasma.

The organization established the center because Belgium currently lacks a sufficient domestic supply of plasma, leading the country to import the substance from other nations like the United States. While many people in Belgium donate blood, fewer donate plasma. The Rode Kruis Vlaanderen aims to make Belgium self-sufficient in plasma supplies within a few years.

The center has already recorded 105 donations in its first month of operation. Rudy Poedts of Rode Kruis Vlaanderen says the facility has successfully attracted both new donors and people who previously donated but stopped. Because the center is located closer to local residents than traditional donor centers in large cities, the organization is considering increasing its opening hours beyond one day a week to reduce long wait times.