Donate life-saving blood in women’s month

AUGUST is the month to 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.

“We hear the pain from mothers and wives who are often helpless when their loved ones are in hospital, awaiting blood transfusions and we hope that with the help of the public, we are able to make a small difference in their lives,” said Vanessa Raju, communications manager of SANBS.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the death of women from childbirth complications continues to be a serious global health challenge. Presently, about 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 transfusions have been identified as one of the nine key life-saving interventions for the management of pregnancy-related complications. About 26% 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.” In honour of women’s month, the SANBS urges people who meet the minimum requirements to help prevent maternal deaths and any other complications by donating blood. The minimum blood donor requirements are: Be aged between 16 and 65 years; weigh 50kg or more; in good health and lead a sexually safe lifestyle.

Call 0800 11 90 31 to find the nearest fixed donor site.