APCOM

In Milano there's a growing need of rare blood. Policlinico Hospital and Avis (Associazione volontari italiani sangue) are looking for 5,000 donors among the immigrants whose blood-types are difficult to find among Italians. Association 'Amici del Policlinico donatori di sangue' has decided to start an extraordinary gathering of rare blood among foreigners by launching a project called 'Comunità etniche' (Ethnic communities).

The goal is to collect within the space of three years at least 15,000 new blood bags which will be used above all to cure patients with patrimonial illnesses, leukaemia and pregnant women. Everybody is in need of transfusions. The demand is increasing also among children of mixed-race couples, as nowadays in the city one marriage out of ten is mixed . The over 250 chemical compounds whose combination creates blood types are easily found among Filipinos, North Africans, Sub-Saharans, South Americans, Indians, Singhalese people and Chinese.

Giorgio Marmiroli, president of Amici del Policlinico, expressed his view on how they think to spread the message: "We count on those cultural mediators who work in hospitals and daily take care of foreign patients, especially in the obstetrics departments. Thanks to the knowledge of language and culture, they are able to overcome the barriers that often impede immigrants to integrate with natives". Policlinico's transfusion center currently has 20,000 donors, but only 450 come from abroad: 2.4%, although it is reckoned that immigrants in Milano are the 15% of total population.

"The plea will be made through communities' magazines and websites and an informative pamphlet will be soon distributed. A key role will be played by influential members within the communities themselves: 'The Sinhalese community, which is well rooted in the social context, has already reacted in a very positive way. - testifies Marmiroli - For example, the message to Sinhalese Buddhists has been given by a monk, who explained the plan's aims and the importance of transfusions".

An other significant help could be given by second-generation immigrants, who are sometimes better integrated than their parents, as Marmiroli points out: "That's true, but we rely on young people in general: we will still wager a lot on our bloodletting campaign in schools".