Despite record numbers of New Zealanders donating plasma, health officials are warning that demand for lifesaving blood and plasma products is growing faster than supply, creating an urgent need for 4,000 new donors over the next 12 months.
As National Blood Donor Week gets underway, New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS) Chief Executive Sam Cliffe says the country is facing a significant challenge in maintaining the blood and plasma reserves needed to support hospitals and patients across Aotearoa.
The warning comes at a time when plasma donations have reached their highest levels ever, reflecting growing awareness of the critical role plasma plays in modern healthcare. However, health experts say record donor numbers are still not enough to keep pace with increasing demand.
Plasma, the straw-coloured liquid component of blood, is used to create medicines and treatments for people living with immune deficiencies, bleeding disorders, cancer, trauma injuries and a range of chronic health conditions. Unlike whole blood, plasma can be collected more frequently and is essential in producing therapies relied upon by thousands of patients every year.
According to NZBS, advances in medicine and an ageing population are contributing to rising demand for blood and plasma products. More people are receiving treatments that depend on plasma-derived medicines, while hospitals continue to require reliable supplies for surgeries, emergency care and ongoing treatment programmes.
The growing demand places additional pressure on the health system, which relies entirely on voluntary donors to maintain supplies.
One of the key priorities for NZBS is increasing participation among Māori and Pacific communities.
Health leaders say greater donor diversity is essential, particularly for patients who require closely matched blood types. Māori and Pacific donors can provide rare blood groups that are often difficult to source and may be critical for treating people with complex medical needs.
The issue is particularly important given the higher rates of certain health conditions experienced by Māori and Pacific populations. Increasing participation in blood and plasma donation is seen as a practical way communities can directly contribute to improving health outcomes for whānau across the motu.
NZBS has been working alongside iwi, Pacific organisations and community leaders to raise awareness about donation and encourage more people to become regular donors. Outreach programmes, education initiatives and culturally responsive engagement strategies are being used to break down barriers and build stronger participation.
Despite the importance of blood and plasma donation, only around four percent of eligible New Zealanders currently donate.
Health officials say many people incorrectly assume they are unable to donate or simply have not considered becoming donors. Others cite time constraints, uncertainty about the process or concerns about needles as reasons for not participating.
National Blood Donor Week is designed to challenge those perceptions and highlight the impact every donation can have.
A single donation can help multiple patients, while regular plasma donors contribute to treatments that sustain people living with lifelong medical conditions. Health advocates say many New Zealanders are unaware of just how significant their contribution can be.
The campaign also serves as a reminder that the country’s blood supply relies entirely on community generosity.
Unlike some countries, New Zealand does not pay donors. Every blood and plasma donation is given freely by people choosing to help strangers they will likely never meet.
As demand continues to climb, NZBS says attracting new donors will be essential to ensuring hospitals can continue delivering safe and effective care.
For Māori and Pacific communities in particular, the call is being framed as an opportunity to strengthen collective wellbeing through an act of manaakitanga that can directly save lives.
The message from health officials during National Blood Donor Week is simple: while record donor numbers are encouraging, the need has never been greater.
With 4,000 new donors required over the next year, every new donor has the potential to make a life-changing difference for patients and whānau throughout Aotearoa.
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