Plea for African blood
ALEXANDRA - June is blood donor month and Alexandra residents did their part to increase blood contribution from the African community.
June is blood donor month, and Alexandra residents did their part to increase the blood contribution from the African community.
This year’s theme is Safe Blood for Saving Mothers, and officials from the South African national blood services (SANBS) with young volunteers were at Pan Africa shopping centre this past weekend to get blood donations with help of a public announcement by Alex FM.
SANBS collects blood from a variety of fixed centres for the public’s convenience, and through campaigns to raise awareness on the importance of donating blood. The programme is part of SANBS’ effort to collect 3 000 units per day as a contribution to the one million units required per year. SANBS’ Sini Subrayen said donors should be aged 16 to 65, be sexually safe, in good health, commit to donate regularly, and should eat before donating, which lasts 30 minutes.
According to Subrayen, the campaign is being aimed at the black African majority which currently donates only 27 percent towards the national total. “We need to raise their consciousness on the importance of donating blood, as it could be a life-saver to oneself, relative or wife at child birth,” he stressed.
According to SANBS, many women die from complications at childbirth with 800 of them dieing from severe bleeding. Half of the deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa.
Sarayen said they hope to reach a target of registering 60 donors and collecting 40 units from the Alex community.
The donors were upbeat about their contribution. Sam Mokgonya (33), a driver, said he started donating last year after witnessing road accidents where blood was required to stabilise the injured. “My blood could save a relative, and after all, I gain the same amount of blood within a day without getting sick,” he said.
“People tend to seek rewards from generous efforts without reflecting on the humaneness of giving to someone in need. Campaigns are needed to sensitise the public on the importance of blood donation.”
Yoliswa Sediane (56) who has been donating since 2005, said many people were confined to hospitals just for blood and hoped hers could get someone released to be with their family. Her children have committed to be donors in future.
Patience Zulu (33) was a first-time donor and did so for the good feeling from knowing she would be helping someone in need, and said she would continue for as long as she was alive.
Details: 011 628 1675; www.sanbs.org.za
