BERLIN, June 14 (Bernama-dpa) -- Germany's ageing population is making it increasingly difficult to maintain blood donation levels, with fewer young donors replacing older generations, the German Red Cross (DRK) said ahead of World Blood Donor Day on Sunday, reported German news agency dpa.
"We have more and more older donors and fewer young people coming through," Patric Nohe, spokesman for the DRK blood donation services, told dpa. "We have the problem that the pool of people who donate blood is shrinking."
The challenge is partly driven by demographic change, with the baby boomer generation historically accounting for a large share of blood donors and many having donated regularly.
While Germany no longer imposes an upper age limit for blood donation, many older donors gradually leave the donor pool because of age-related health conditions, Nohe said.
The DRK also faces seasonal shortages during summer holidays and winter flu waves. Expanding the donor base would help offset such fluctuations, Nohe said, adding that people in their 30s and 40s can still begin donating blood.
According to the DRK, around 15,000 blood donations are needed every day in Germany.
--BERNAMA-dpa
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