Durban — On World Blood Donor Day on Wednesday, the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) said students and pupils contributed the most to donating blood, and during the school holidays the number of blood donors tended to decrease.
SANBS provides blood transfusions and related services.
It supports all hospitals across provinces – public, private and military facilities, neighbouring blood services, and collaborates with a number of universities and research institutions.
Dr Solomuzi Ngcobo, who is a lab consultant in medical affairs at SANBS, said that on Wednesday was about celebrating and thanking individuals who donated blood and encouraging more people to become donors.
He said a single whole-blood donation could help as many as three patients. Dr Ngcobo said this was because the blood was separated into red blood cells, plasma and platelets, which were transfused to patients with different needs.
He said platelets helped control bleeding and were used to treat trauma victims, patients with leukaemia and cancer, as well as bone marrow transplant recipients.
“Unfortunately, platelets only last five days,” he said.
Ngcobo explained that plasma was critically needed for the treatment of clotting disorders in burn patients, accident victims and some organ transplant recipients, and could be frozen for up to one year. Red blood cells they were the most common type of blood cell and the body’s principal means of delivering oxygen.
“Red blood cells are transfused to those who have anaemia caused by cancer treatment, related medical conditions and trauma,” he said.
Ngcobo said they mostly got more donors when they went to shopping centres. He said blood drives last year were 43% higher than in 2019, community blood drives were 22% higher and high school visits were 6% lower. He also made a call for residents to become platelet donors.
He said their objective was to convert A and AB blood donors to platelet donation, attracting new A and B donors and to create awareness and educate the target audience on platelets. He said that they wanted to collect 20 000 units of apheresis platelets by 2022/23.
The World Health Organization said the slogan for this year’s World Blood Donor Day campaign was “Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often”. The WHO said the campaign also focused on patients requiring life-long transfusion support and underlined the role every person could play, by giving the valuable gift of blood or plasma.
“It also highlights the importance of giving blood or plasma regularly to create a safe and sustainable supply of blood and blood products that can always be available, all over the world, so that all patients in need can receive timely treatment,” said the WHO.
WhatsApp your views on this story to 071 485 7995.
Daily News