Donate blood to save lives
Pholosong Hospital and the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) from Benoni hosted a blood donation drive last Thursday.
The hospital’s staff and the community members made long queues at the hospital to play their part to beat the shortage of blood at hospitals’ blood banks.
About 100 people donated blood, with the majority of them being first-time donors.
Neo Moroe, from the hospital’s lab and blood services, said the aim of the initiative was to educate staff members and the community about the importance of donating blood.
“Donating blood means saving someone’s life,” said Moroe. Adding that the hospital will continue with the initiative to ensure that the hospital has enough blood to save more lives, especially during the Easter and December holidays, times when there are more road accidents.
Speaking on behalf of the SANBS, Edwin Majoro explained that people who can donate blood need to be between 16 and 65 years old, weigh from 50kg and must have something to eat before donating blood. He continued to say that the 500ml of donated blood can save the lives of three people.
Majoro said winter is the most challenging season to the blood donors as most people get sick easily due to the freezing weather.
“You need to be 100% healthy in order to donate blood and during the winter season people get sick all the time,” said Majoro.
He also encouraged those who donated blood for the first time to do it again.
Loretta Rikhotso, a dietician at Pholosong Hospital also donated blood.
“I will never let our people die because of the shortage of blood in their system while I can save their lives without losing or paying to grant them life again,” said Rikhotso.
If you want to donate blood, visit the SANBS offices at the Springs Avenues Shopping Centre or at the Carnival Mall or call the SANBS on 0800 11 9031.
