The South African National Blood Services has made a call for blood donations to mark World Blood Donor Day on June 14.
SANBS senior manager, Thandi Mosupye said this year, under its ongoing and impactful #WeAreThePulse campaign, they are seeking to celebrate the lifesaving contributions of whole blood donors across the nation and inspire new donors to join in this vital act of service.
World Blood Donor Day is a global event that was established by the World Health Organization to raise awareness about the need for safe blood.
Mosupye said the SANBS aims to highlight the essential contribution blood donors make to keeping people and communities healthy.
“Each year, thousands of South Africans require blood transfusions during medical procedures, emergencies and for ongoing medical conditions,” she said.
She added, World Blood Donor Day stands as a beacon of hope and unity, reminding them of the profound impact that individual generosity can have on the health and vitality of the society.
“We see this day not just as an occasion to celebrate, but as a powerful call to action, it urges us all to step forward to give something of ourselves and to become part of a lifesaving network of heroes who fuel the pulse of our nation,” she said.
According to the South African National Blood Services, less than 1% of South Africans are active blood donors.
This raises the need to encourage more people to donate blood regularly.
The SANBS aims to collect 3000 units of blood per day to ensure a safe and sufficient blood supply in the health-care system.
Mosupye said, a single unit of blood donated can save a minimum of three lives as blood is separated into red blood cells, plasma and platelets, and a donor can give blood as often as every eight weeks.
Although the current blood stocks at the SANBS for blood group B+ and O+ are above 3.5 days, it is important that the organisation maintain a blood stock level of five days for each blood group to ensure a sustained blood availability for patients in need.
Blood donation supports many surgical procedures which include cardiac surgery, vascular surgery, surgical oncology, gynaecological surgery and complicated medical conditions such as anaemia, cancer, haemophilia, sickle cell disease.
Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko has called on all regular donors and eligible donors to visits their nearest blood donation centre to donate blood and ultimately save lives.
“Blood donation supports surgical procedures and complicated medical conditions. Therefore, it is important that we encourage everyone eligible to make blood donation a regular undertaking to ensure a sustained blood availability for patients in need of blood transfusion,” she added.
Pretoria News