The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) continues to urge people to come forth and donate blood.
This comes as blood stock levels are showing a decrease, posing a severe risk to patients in need.
According to the SANBS, since the implementation of the new digital donor questionnaire on 7 November 2023, which was aimed at streamlining the donor registration process, there has been a steady decline in blood donations.
As it stands the blood stocks are currently at only 1,8 days' supply, pushing the available blood to critically low levels across the country.
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SANBS warned that this blood shortage may affect the lives of numerous individuals reliant on blood transfusions, especially this December as donations are expected to decline due to closures of workplaces, schools and tertiaries.
SANBS senior manager for marketing, communication, and brand Thandi Mosupye said: “We are facing a critical shortage of blood and urgently call upon all South Africans to band together to get through this challenging period.
“The demand for blood remains constant, yet our current supply falls short of meeting this ongoing need.
“Should this decline continue, our ability to meet the needs of patients will be severely negatively impacted," she said.
Why donate:
According to SANBS thousands of patients would die daily if there is insufficient quality blood in stock.
“When one donates blood, they give patients the gift money cannot buy or science cannot create. A unit of blood can save up to three lives as blood is separated into red blood cells, plasma and platelets,” SANBS said.
Who needs blood:
1. Women haemorrhaging due to pregnancy complication and other gyneacological complications.
2. Premature babies
3. Children with severe anaemia.
4. Accident trauma patients.
5. Surgical and cancer patients
Procedure to donate:
Donating blood is a safe process that takes only 30 minutes. SANBS urges all eligible and healthy individuals to visit their nearest donation site and contribute to this life-saving cause.
To donate blood on the new system for the first time, a copy of your Identity document must be presented; you must be between the ages of 16 and 75, weigh more than 50kg and be in good health.
Speaking to Daily Sun Junior Makupula (25) said he started donating blood in 2013 after SANBS visited his school. Since then he fell in love with the cause.
"It meant I could save a life. My cousin had a car accident and one of the things they needed was blood transfusion. When I heard about that, I realised that it could be my blood or someone else's blood that will save the next person," he said.
Although Junior was diagnosed with type one diabetes in 2016 which prevented him from donating blood, he still advocates towards the cause and encourages those who can lend a hand to save the next life, to do so.
