Give blood for those who give life

THIS year’s campaign “Safe Blood for Saving Mothers” is to develop a strategy to highlight the need for timely access to safe blood in the prevention of maternal deaths.

The death of a woman from complications during childbirth continues to be a serious global health challenge. Approximately 800 women die from pregnancy or childbirth-related complications daily.

Just about all of these deaths occur in developing countries. More than half of them take place in sub-Saharan Africa and almost one third in South Asia.

The risk of maternal mortality is highest for adolescent girls under 15 years of age. Severe bleeding during delivery and after childbirth is a major cause of death, illness and long-term disability. Largely, it is the most common cause of maternal mortality and contributes to around 34 per cent of maternal deaths in Africa, 31 per cent in Asia and 21 per cent in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) dedicated the entire month of June to increase awareness regarding the critical need for timely access to safe blood as part of a comprehensive approach to preventing maternal deaths.

Blood transfusion has been identified as one of the nine key life-saving interventions for the management of pregnancy-related complications.

“Childbirth and other gynaecologic complications are amongst the highest demand for blood daily in South Africa,” said Vanessa Raju, SANBS Communication Manager.

SANBS encourages people to donate blood regularly, and would like to thank the blood donors who sacrifice their time in an effort to save the lives of people in need of blood.

Get involved. Give blood and participate in local events being organised to celebrate Blood Donor Month.

For more information visit: www.SANBS.org.za or call us on 0800 11 90 31.