SANBS is going digital to improve donor experience
The service will go paperless to better manage donations and appeal to the younger generation.
The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) is going digital to improve the donor experience at blood donation sites nationwide.
With less than 1% of South Africans actively donating blood, the SANBS is committed to enhancing blood donation processes and attracting new donors, particularly the youth, to bolster the blood donor pool.
In preparation for the digitalisation and to address the critical need for blood donations, SANBS will host enhanced blood donation drives nationally from October 16 to November 3.
These drives aim to maintain adequate blood stocks in the run-up to the temporary closure of donation sites on November 5 and 6, when SANBS will prepare its back-end system to introduce the digital medical questionnaire at all donation sites.
To further ensure donors can give the gift of life at their convenience, during the enhanced donation period, SANBS will extend operating hours until 19:00 at all donation sites on weekdays and weekends.
ALSO READ: City of Ekurhuleni councillors to debate metro’s financial woes
“The SANBS is moving towards digitalisation because we understand that to attract and inspire a new generation of donors, we need to leverage the power of technology.
“Digitalising the donation sites will ensure operational efficiencies and streamline SANBS’ administration processes by using modern customer relationship management systems to ensure donors enjoy an optimised experience,” said Siemi Prithvi-Raj, the SANBS executive for transfusion donor services and marketing.
“The automated questionnaire will further assist in flagging potential issues in real-time, ensuring improved donor and blood safety.”
This move will improve SANBS’ efficiency in blood collection and management and enhance the donor experience overall.
“The introduction of the digital medical questionnaire at donation sites highlights our commitment to not only go paperless across our business but also to continuously innovate and become an organisation whose operational processes are as sophisticated as our medical technology,” said Ravi Reddy, the CEO at SANBS.
ALSO READ: Unified Scout Group celebrates teachers with Kwa-Thema Crèche
This is only the start of SANBS’ digitalisation journey, and it involves taking the first giant step in the right direction. Donors are encouraged to plan their upcoming donations around the scheduled downtime on November 5 and 6.
“We encourage donors, especially the youth of SA, to help us make this a smooth transition by getting behind the enhanced donation drives and donating in their numbers.
“Bring a friend, colleague, or even neighbour to your next donation and help us to ensure ample blood stocks ahead of the two-day downtime planned for November,” Reddy concluded.
Join countless selfless individuals in making a life-saving donation during this enhanced blood donation period. To be eligible to donate blood, one must be between the ages of 16 and 75, weigh more than 50kg and be in good health.
If you meet these requirements, find your nearest donation site by visiting the donor centre map on the SANBS website or calling 0800 11 9031, and/or following SANBS on its official social media platforms: X (formerly Twitter, @theSANBS), Facebook (@SANBS) and Instagram (@thesanbs).
