The national observation and proclamation of the rights South Africans enjoy are celebrated on Human Rights Day.
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This year’s celebration coincides with the 25th anniversary of SA’s adoption of the Constitution, which prescribes an improvement in the quality of life for all citizens.
It is the South African National Blood Service’s (SANBS) undertaking to play its part in delivering on this mission.
“Health is a basic human right. We are driven by our heartfelt calling to save lives and ensure every citizen has access to safe blood when they need it. SANBS supports the rights of every citizen to have access to affordable healthcare of the highest quality,” said SANBS executive of transfusion donor services and marketing Siemi Prithvi Raj.
With new changes having been made to the SANBS Covid-19 donor deferral measures, donors are urged to take advantage of the eased regulations to visit their nearest donor centres and not only donate a unit of blood, but also commit to a regular donation.
New deferral measures include:
• Asymptomatic donors can donate blood, including healthcare workers.
• The deferral period for direct contact with symptoms of infection changes from 14 to seven days, from the date of complete clearance of symptoms.
• The deferral period for individuals who have travelled overseas is reduced from 14 to 10 days.
• Individuals with confirmed cases of Covid-19 infection will be deferred for seven days from the date of complete clearance of symptoms.
• Asymptomatic individuals with confirmed cases of Covid-19 infection will be deferred for seven days from the date of the positive test.
“We encourage South Africans to give a little of their valuable time throughout Human Rights Month to donate blood and make a difference that has the potential to change the lives of so many people,” added Prithvi Raj.
SANBS continues to follow the guidelines prescribed by the NICD and WHO to promote Covid-19 safe interactions at all its fixed and mobile donor sites.
Visit www.sanbs.org.za or contact 0800 11 9031 to find out where you can donate blood.
Follow us on Twitter (@theSANBS), Facebook (@SANBS) and Instagram (@thesanbs).
About The South African National Blood Service (SANBS)
SANBS is a NPO that provides a vein-to-vein blood transfusion service in eight of the nine provinces of South Africa, excluding the Western Cape.
The organisation has a donor base of approximately 466 000 individuals. SANBS has two testing centres: one in Johannesburg and the other in Durban, which are supplemented by seven blood processing centres around the country.
Eighty-three blood banks serve over 800 hospitals and private clinics in South Africa.
The organisation also offers specialised laboratory services, for example, tissue immunology, cytogenetics and proficiency testing.
SANBS is dependent on a healthy donor population who is willing and able to donate blood and blood products to meet the blood requirements of the country.
Each blood donation can save up to three lives.
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