Donate blood, save lives

This year's World Blood Donor Day focuses on blood donation with the slogan, 'Safe blood for all,' with the objective of raising awareness on the universal need for safe blood in the delivery of healthcare and the crucial roles that voluntary donations play in achieving the goal of universal health coverage.

Transfusion of blood and blood products save millions of lives every year. Blood and blood products are essential components in the proper management of women suffering from bleeding associated with pregnancy and childbirth; children suffering from severe anaemia due to malaria and malnutrition; patients with blood and bone marrow disorders, inherited disorders of haemoglobin and immune deficiency conditions; victims of trauma, emergencies, disasters and accidents; as well as patients undergoing advanced medical and surgical procedures.

Lack of blood effects our health system. Blood cannot be manufactured and only be donated by someone. Be a "someone" and save life. Every single blood donation saves four precious lives. Your donation will be accepted only when you are healthy enough to sustain the loss of blood during donation.

The most common myths are:

1. Blood donation cause weakness: Donation of blood does not cause any weakness, rather it helps in regeneration of new blood in our body.
2. Blood donation hurts: It's just a matter of needle prick and saving a life gives you a super high feeling.
3. Blood donation leads to infections: All the blood collection centres use single use sterile equipment to collect blood. There is no scope for transmitting any diseases.
4. Blood donation deteriorates health: if you are healthy to donate blood, it hardly takes 24 hrs to replenish the lost volume during blood donation. And post donation intake of fluids helps you recover easily.
5. Blood donation is time-consuming: It takes 15 mins to donate whole blood, 2 hours to donate platelets.
6. You cannot donate blood if you smoke or drink alcohol: you can donate blood after 6 hrs of smoking and 12 hours after taking alcohol.
7. DBlood donation restricts your daily activities: It is only advisable to avoid strenuous exercise and heavy weight-lifting. You can continue with all the day to day activities.

(Writer is Consultant (Transfusion Medicine) at Department of Transfusion Medicine (Blood Bank), Citizens Specialty Hospitals, Hyderabad)

By Dr Sangeetha Gayam