The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) opened its doors to the public to take a tour of its labs and receive information about blood donations and the process that ensues after blood has been donated.
Many are under the impression blood donations are mainly for casualty cases, however, according to Debra Forster from the SANBS, this is not the case. Most blood donations are given to patients who are dependent on blood transfusions daily.
What is donated blood used for?
In truth, only 4% of the blood donated to SANBS goes for casualties, 27% goes for medical cases such as cancer treatments, 21% for surgical cases, 6% for orthopaedic cases, 10% for paediatric cases, 26% for childbirth and gynaecological cases and 6% is used for research and laboratory cases.
Where to donate blood?
SANBS is the only licensed blood service in South Africa. If anyone else tells you they can do blood transfusions, do not accept. The SANBS is aware of every process that takes place with the blood after it is donated, from testing to distribution. They are in control of the entire process, which means there is less room for error. This is also the reason why the SANBS is one of the top three safest blood services in the world.
After a person donates blood it is sent to the labs, where it gets separated into red blood cells, plasma, and platelets.
There are currently seven labs across South Africa where they separate the blood and two labs where they test the blood.
Who can be donors?
Currently, only 1% of South Africa’s population are donors. This could be due to the lack of education, as people are unaware of the necessity for blood donations or the processes that ensue after blood is donated. Due to technology, the circumstances surrounding blood donations may change, many people who were once told they are not allowed to donate may be able to donate now, for example, many people with diabetes are under the impression they can not donate blood, however, if they check their sugar daily and keep the necessary diet, they can donate. It is important to have oneself tested to establish whether or not you can donate.
O blood type
One unit of blood last 42 days, when you hear in the media there are two days of bloodstock left, for example, this means there is two days’ worth of O blood type left. The reason for the need for the O blood type can largely be attributed to complications that may arise during childbirth, as this is when the O blood type is mostly used as there need to be six units of O blood type stock already available at the hospital since in these cases the mother and baby can die in minutes. The majority of the population has O blood, which is the reason why O blood has the most shortage.
How does blood get divided?
Blood gets divided into three products, which include blood, plasma, and platelets. It is possible to only donate plasma and platelets, as the machines used in the donor centers can extract the platelets and plasma and put the red cells back into the body. This procedure is however not possible for O blood types as the red blood cells of O blood types are needed, the only time in which O blood types can only donate platelets and plasma is when they have difficulties with low iron.
Platelets
Platelets only last five days, which is why it needs to be issued as soon as possible. When there are no platelets available, they need to phone donors to come and donate at any given time, which is not an ideal situation, which is why they try to keep stock of plasma and platelets full at all times. When donating plasma and platelets it is possible to donate every two weeks.
Why do donors have to donate again?
The first time a person donates the three products get separated. The red cells need to be checked and then used, they can not wait for the donor to return, as you can only donate blood every eight weeks. The plasma goes into the freezer, however, the platelets from a first-time donor do not get used, due to the high risk it poses. When a person then comes back for their second donation in three or four months, depending on how often they can donate, the plasma gets released from the freezer when it has been double-checked and safety is insured. This means donors have to return to donate again, they can’t just donate once and leave it. They ask donors to at least donate three times a year. this will then enable the SANBS to use every part, every time, meaning the red cells, plasma, and platelets.
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When a person donates platelets it has to be checked and it gets put together with four other donors’ platelets, which means you can expose an already ill patient to five other people’s antibodies, and if there is an illness in the blood, the patient can’t fight it as they are already at a weaker stage, which is why the platelets need to be checked. For this reason, the person who donated has to come back to donate again, as the platelets have been checked and they know it is safe to use.
First-time donors:
First-time donors have to be 16 to 75 years old to donate for the first time and they can continue as long as they are healthy and fit. When going for your first donation:
• you must take your ID
• you have to weigh 50kg or more
• you must’ve had something to eat
What are the threats to blood donations and how is blood tested?
Currently, 20% of the bloodstock comes from people 16-19 years old, which poses many threats as first children of that age appear to be unaware of the threats posed by having numerous sexual partners, such as HIV.
After blood is donated, it has to be tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, HIV one, and HIV two, which they test by scanning for the DNA of HIV. With the machines they currently have, they can pick it up within the first week of contracting it.
It does not matter the amount of time a person has been donating, their blood still needs to be tested.
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There is also a window period with HIV testing, which is day one to three where no test would pick up the virus. For this reason, people need to be sure of their status before donating blood.
During the holidays’ access to blood is a difficult task as children go on holidays or they are writing exams and as stated before, 20% of the blood supply come from those 16-19 years old.
Iron deficiency is another threat the SANBS is faced with. It was discovered that more and more people suffer from iron shortages, which means they can’t donate blood. For this reason, donor centers are handing out iron tablets as well to help people replenish the iron in their systems.
Caffeine is also a problem with regards to donating blood, as the caffeine absorbs the nutrition in the food you eat, therefor people are advised to wait at least 20 to 30 minutes after eating or drinking vitamins to drink their coffee or tea, or other caffeinated drinks. A high enough vitamin C count is also necessary to absorb the iron out of your food.
The SANBS website is sanbs.org.za for more information
