Fact Sheet

The mission of the South African National Blood Service (SANBS), an association of voluntary, non-remunerated blood donors, is to provide all patients with sufficient, safe, quality blood and blood products and medical services related to blood transfusion in an equitable and cost effective manner.

• SANBS is a section 21, not for profit organisation.
• SANBS operates under licence from the Department of Health, but is not state-owned and therefore does not receive funds from government.
• There are two blood transfusion services in South Africa – SANBS and the Western Province Blood Transfusion Service (WPBTS).
• SANBS operates in eight of the nine provinces, except for the Western Cape, which falls under the WPBTS.
• The operational area is divided into seven zones, namely the Eastern Cape, Egoli, Free State/Northern Cape, Kwazulu-Natal, Vaal and Northern.
• There are 87 permanent donor centres within the SANBS region and 65 mobile teams that run mobile clinics at schools, tertiary institutions, businesses, community centres, shopping centres and holiday venues.
• 3 000 units of blood must be collected every day.
• Blood donors can donate blood every 56 days.
• Every unit of blood goes through rigorous testing after collection for sexually transmissible diseases including HIV, Hepatitis B and C and syphilis.
• SANBS is using the most sophisticated testing equipment, namely Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing (NAT) to test its blood.
• South Africa is the first and only country in the world to do individual NAT testing on every unit of blood on such a large scale.
• The most needed blood group is O. This is because group O blood can be given to any patient in an emergency.
• 777 000 units of blood are needed annually.
• In South Africa a blood transfusion takes place every 48 seconds.
• Less than 1% of the South African population donates blood regularly.
• There is no substitute for human blood.
• 62.37% of blood is donated by men and 37.63% by women.
• Whole blood can be kept for 21 days.
• Red cells can be kept for 35 days.
• Blood can be divided into three components, namely red cells, plasma and platelets.
• Plasma can be kept for 12 months when frozen.
• Platelets (can be kept for only five days.
• Blood is mainly used for:
  • Medical cases - 27%
  • Childbirth & Gynaecological cases - 26%
  • Surgical cases - 21%
  • Paediatric cases - 10%
  • Orthopaedic cases - 6%
  • Research / Laboratory - 6%
  • Casualty - 4%
• SANBS is accredited with the South African Accreditation System (SANAS).
• The requirements for becoming a blood donor are:
• Weigh 50kg or more;
• Be between the ages of 16 and 65; and
• Lead a sexually safe lifestyle.

For more information, please contact
SANBS toll free on 0800 11 90 31.