NOT ENOUGH BLOOD AT THE BLOOD SERVICE

by Sylvester Raraza
Email: sylvesterraraza@gmail.com
Twitter: @Sylvester_tut

It should be of grave concern that in a population of about Sixty million (60 million) people, South Africa has low levels of blood donors. According to the South African National Blood Service (SANBS), “less than 1% of South Africans are active blood donors.” These are astoundingly low active blood donor figures, for an organization that was established in the early 2000s.

South Africa is a low blood donor country, and this was worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic 
and subsequent lockdown regulations (people’s movements were restricted). Fortunately, 
there are now eased regulations under the ‘Disaster Management Act’, and these allow for 
the free movement of South Africans, and it makes easy for blood donors to visit donor 
centres.

Blood donor centre | Picture: Jarryd Subroyen

The South African National Blood Services (SANBS) made changes to the Covid-19 donor 
deferral measures, allowing for people who have tested positive for Covid-19 to donate 
blood if they are asymptomatic. Other developments in the new donor deferral measures 
are that people who are presently tested and confirmed to be Covid-19 positive are 
deferred for a mere seven (7) days before being allowed to make a blood donation.
 
People who are interested in donating blood can visit a donor centre and follow these three 
(3) easy and quick steps, (1) complete a donor questionnaire, (2) doing a one-on-one 
interview with a nurse who will be tasked with ensuring the accuracy of the questionnaire’s 
results for the donor’s and patient’s safety and (3) your blood pressure and haemoglobin 
(iron) levels will be checked.

If the donor passes all three steps, he/she will be allowed to donate blood. South Africans are encouraged to donate blood. A minimal donation of a unit of blood has the potential to save as many as three lives. Thousands of lives are spared every year because of the generosity of active blood donors and thousands more can be saved if more people become active blood donors. For more information about the South African National Blood Service, visit their website on www.sanbs.org.za and check their social media sites.


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