August is the month in which we celebrate women in South Africa, for their courage and their resilience.
The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) knows the challenges many women face when they experience gynaecological and other childbirth complications.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the death of women from childbirth complications continues to be a serious global health challenge.
Presently, approximately 800 women die needlessly from pregnancy or childbirth-related complications daily.
Severe bleeding during delivery and after childbirth is a major cause of death, illness and long-term disability.
However, blood transfusion has been identified as one of the nine key life-saving interventions for the management of pregnancy-related complications.
Approximately 26 per cent of donated blood that SANBS collects is used for childbirth and gynaecological cases.
“At SANBS we work hard at ensuring that there is always adequate, safe blood available, but this is only possible with the help of blood donors,” said Vanessa Raju, communications manager for SANBS.
In honour of women’s month, SANBS urges people who meet the minimum requirements to help prevent maternal deaths and any other complications, by donating blood.
Minimum blood donor requirements:
- Aged between 16 and 65 years.
- Weigh 50kg or more.
- Good health.
- Lead a sexually safe lifestyle.
