For three days, the Monaco Red Cross is turning solidarity into action, hosting a blood donation drive that highlights a simple truth: the Principality uses more blood than it collects…
With stocks under constant pressure, the campaign aims to raise awareness and encourage new donors, particularly among younger Monegasques, to take part in a vital civic gesture.
At the Red Cross training hall, the process is deliberately reassuring. Donors begin by completing a health questionnaire, followed by a one-to-one medical interview to confirm eligibility. Once cleared, they move to the donation room, where experienced nurses carry out the procedure in just eight to ten minutes. The advice is straightforward: stay well hydrated, eat beforehand, and take a short rest afterwards. For many first-time donors, the experience proves far less daunting than expected, often ending with smiles and a sense of pride.
Several participants said they were motivated by awareness sessions highlighting shortages at the hospital and the real-life impact of blood donations. Others described it simply as “a good deed” that takes very little time but can make a profound difference. Notably, women accounted for more than half of last year’s donors, and a significant number were first-timers—an encouraging sign for future supply.
Each year, around 5,000 blood donations are essential to meet Monaco’s medical needs, from emergency care and childbirth complications to cancer treatments and chronic conditions. As local collection still falls short, every donor counts.
The campaign runs until Thursday 4th February at the Monaco Red Cross, with year-round donations also possible at the Princess Grace Hospital donation centre.
Image: Aman Chaturvedi