HESSEQUA NEWS - If you are a first-time blood donor, your plasma is quarantined until your next donation.
By your next donation, if all tests come back negative, the quarantined plasma from your first donation will be used.
"The same applies to people who have not donated blood for a while. Only once you have made three donations and the tests are negative for diseases that can be transmitted through blood, then all the components of your blood can be used.
"This is to ensure the safety of the person receiving the blood and again highlights the importance of people committing to donate regularly," says Netcare's national blood conservation coordinator, Rene Grobler.
There are certain criteria to keep in mind
• You must be between the ages of 16 and 65
• You must have a body mass of at least 50kg
• You must adhere to safe sexual practises and
• You must be free of diseases such as HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B and C.
People should eat a small snack within four hours before donating blood, as this can help minimise the chance of feeling faint or light-headed afterwards.
Donors are only allowed to donate around 480 ml of blood at a time.
The SANBS tests every unit of blood in order to ensure it is safe for transfusion.
By law, a person may only donate blood every 56 days to allow enough time for their red cells to regenerate.
Grobler, therefore, believes the only way shortages can successfully be overcome is to continue raising awareness and get more people to donate more frequently.
"We urge everyone to get involved in this simple act of generosity, least of all because you never know when you might be the patient who requires an urgent blood transfusion," she concludes.
To find out more about your closest blood donation centre go to sanbs.org.za (donor-centres).
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