Many tend to link the Blood Bank’s calls for donations with traffic accidents but the truth is that many blood donations go towards increasingly sophisticated interventions, many of which related to the fight against cancer.

Last year 45,492 surgeries were performed at Mater Dei Hospital, marking an increase of nearly 2,000 operations compared to 2011.

According to Health Minister Joe Cassar, this record increase in operations is directly related to increased blood donations.

Throughout 2012, a total of 17,000 blood bags were collected, with women accounting for approximately 34 per cent of all donations.

“The growing sophistication of cancer treatments and other medical techniques means more blood is required. Blood shortages result in cancelled operations. For instance, heart surgeries and Caesarean sections are not performed if an adequate supply of blood is not available.”

However, overall the number of operations has increased and consequently waiting time for patients fallen.

Dr Cassar told a news conference at the Blood Bank that the waiting time for cataract operations has been slashed to less than a year for 92 per cent of patients.

The waiting time for hip replacements and knee procedures has also been decreased, as outsourcing to private hospitals helped reduce their waiting time.

Last year, around 4,000 patients benefited from blood donations, with each patient receiving an average of four-and-a-half blood bags.

Healthy individuals aged 18 and over (or 17 with a guardian’s consent) are eligible to give blood. Men may donate up to four times a year while the women’s maximum is three times. Body weight must be at least 50kg.

Individuals who have lived in the UK for more than six months between the period of 1980 and 1996 are not eligible to donate due to the Mad Cow Disease outbreak during that time.