Blood services looking for new donors

BLOOD stocks are at a critical 2.5 days supply and the South African National Blood Services (SANBS) is calling on the public to donate at their nearest centre or mobile clinic.

SANBS launched its #NewBlood Campaign on Human Rights Day, which signals the start of the critical Easter holiday period and SANBS urges the community to lend a helping hand by becoming regular donors.

Currently fewer than 1% of South Africans donate blood even though it takes up only 30 minutes of one’s time at least twice a year,’ said SANBS Chief Marketing Officer, Silungile Mlambo.

‘The result is that we often experience shortages which places lives at risk – lives of babies born prematurely, accident victims, women giving birth and the lives of people fighting cancer.

‘We are therefore calling on anyone who has never donated or has not donated in over a year to heed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s plea to become an agent of change and lend a hand by becoming a blood donor, starting from Human Rights Day.

‘The beauty of blood donation is that virtually anyone can do it. If you are over 16 years old, weigh more than 50kg and practice a safe lifestyle, you can be a blood donor.

‘By giving blood you can save up to three people’s lives. Nobody can make a greater impact than saving someone else’s life,’ said Mlambo.

Holidays are unfortunately the time when SANBS traditionally run short of blood because they are not able to host regular drives at schools and university campuses.

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