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#SANBS: Your 1 unit of blood can save up to 3 lives
A donor can donate blood a minimum of four times a year.
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Here is basic information to help you better understand the blood donation processes and who really can donate to this cause.
South African National Blood Service [SANBS] has a variety of donor centres. Voluntary donors, in most cases, know just how crucial their blood is and what it is capable of doing. Thousands of lives are saved every year and it is because of people like you.
It is people like you SANBS needs.
Who can donate to this cause?
Minimum Requirements to be a Blood Donor:
- You are between the ages of 16 and 65 years old, for first-time donors.
- You weigh a minimum of 50 kgs (and platelets a minimum of 55 kgs)
- You are in good health.
- You lead a low-risk lifestyle.
- You consider your blood safe for transfusion.
- You have had a balanced meal within four hours of donating blood.
- You have not donated blood in the last 56 days (and platelets in the last 14 days.)
- Your pulse is between 50-100 regular beats per minute.
- Your blood pressure is below 180 systolic (first number) and below 100 diastolic (second number) (180/100mmHg) and above 100 systolic (first number) and above 60 diastolic (second number) (100/60mmHg).
- Your haemoglobin level is 12.5 g/dL or above.
Please ask for more information if:
- You have had surgery in the last 6 months or are due for an operation within the next 6 weeks.
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding your baby.
- You are on medication such as antibiotics
- You are from or have travelled to, a malaria area.
- You have had cancer, heart disease, epilepsy, a bleeding disorder or any other chronic medical condition.
- You are involved in a “hazardous” occupation or sport e.g. operating heavy machinery, flying a plane, scuba diving, working at heights etc.
If you are deferred please note that we do so in the best interest of your health as well as the safety of the blood being donated.
Donor Centres near Soweto:
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