DAPHNE, Ala. — A shortage of Rh-negative blood has prompted Baldwin County hospitals to seek donations, Pam Pace, LifeSouth Inc. branch manager, said.

“We are in a critical stage … there’s hardly any Rh negative on the shelves in our hospital right now, and we’ve got to turn that around,” she said.

Only 5 percent of the county has Rh-negative blood — the negative A, B, AB and O types, according to Pace. The number of eligible donors — those not taking medicines that preclude transfusions — dwindles to about 2.5 percent, Pace said.

“Because those numbers are so low, we don’t have enough on the shelf,” she said.

“When there’s any type of emergency, a person may need blood to survive, and if their blood type at that point is not known … they’re going to start pumping them with O-negative blood — and that depletes the supply, which is low anyway,” she said.

And O-negative blood — thought to be universally compatible — could be wiped out with a single emergency, Pace said, offering a scenario.

“In our local hospitals, if they only have eight (pints) on the shelf currently, and there is an accident on (Highway) 98, all of that is now gone,” she said.

Before that happens, local hospitals will hold donation drives throughout the week, as follows:

Last year, Infirmary Health Services, parent of North Baldwin Infirmary in Bay Minette, Thomas Hospital in Fairhope, Mobile Infirmary in Mobile and Infirmary West in Mobile; USA Hospitals, parent of USA Medical Center and USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital; Providence Hospital and Springhill Medical Center agreed to work with LifeSouth to develop community blood banks in Baldwin and Mobile counties to collect and provide blood to local medical facilities.

For this week’s blood drives, LifeSouth also will work with individual donors’ schedules.

“We can schedule six days a week, or even up to seven. All schedules will be accommodated,” Pace said.

The hour’s unimportant as long as the goal is met, she said, adding that donors’ blood will stay in local hospitals.

“If they come in and donate today, their blood goes directly back to our hospitals. … it does not leave this area,” she said.

To schedule an appointment, call 621-9644. All donors must be 17 and present a picture ID.

“The feeling after donating a unit of blood that can save another life is priceless, and knowing that you saved up to three lives today is incredible,” Pace said.

“A short amount of time is all it takes to save three lives.”

(Staff Writer Curt Chapman contributed to this report.)