Why Should I Donate?

Donating a unit of this “precious gift of life” saves lives of those in dire need of blood. One must develop a habit of donating blood in order that South African National Blood Service (SANBS) has sufficient blood stock to ensure that in cases of emergency quality blood is always available for needy patients.

Who needs blood?
Safe blood saves lives. Thousands of people would die daily if there is no sufficient quality blood in stock. If one donates blood, the donor gives patient the gift money cannot buy or science cannot create. A unit of blood donation can equal three gifts of life in that almost every unit of blood is separated into red blood cells, plasma and platelets.

Below are categories of people who need blood transfusion:

• Women haemorrhaging due to pregnancy complication;
• Children with severe anaemia;
• Accident victims; and
• Surgical and cancer patients.

You make a difference in somebody’s life by donating blood.

Donation procedures:
A donor will:

• Complete a questionnaire containing personal details;
• Answer questions relating to their health and social behaviour;
• Undergo one-on-one interview as a follow-up to their answers;
• Have their iron (haemoglobin) level checked, blood pressure and pulse rate will be taken;
• Be allowed to donate one unit of blood (480ml) – a couple of refreshments will replace lost fluid in one’s body.

It's easy ....here's how
Donating blood is a safe and simple procedure that takes about 30 minutes. All needles are new, sterile, used only once and incinerated after use.

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