People who are willing to donate blood voluntarily are encouraged to come forward and donate blood to save lives.
Director Medical Laboratory of the National Referral Hospital (NRH) Alfred Dofai made this call during the world blood donor day celebration last week.
“Operations happen every day, complication in delivery occurs every seconds at night, our patients including children who are short of blood lie waiting all day long, accidents happen very often and all these cases require blood transfusion,” Dofai appeal.
He said they would like to encourage voluntary blood donation rather than family replacement donation.
Dofai said according to report only 10 percent of donors are voluntary while 90 percent are family replacement.
He further added that this does not reflect how we have heart for our fellow citizens of this country.
Everyone should donate blood voluntarily.
He said that it is important and only people who are above age of 18 to 65 years and 48kg above with normal blood pressure and has hemoglobin level 124g/l can donate blood.
“Who cannot give blood?
“Those with underlying conditions such diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and those who are infected with infectious diseases such Hep B, HIV, Gonorrhea and Syphilis,” he clarified.
“Who must not give blood?
“Certain behaviours such homosexuals, those with more than one sexual partners, those who are paid for sex and those sharing needles.
“The group pose risk of contaminating our blood supply,” he further cautioned.
“How often can you give? After every three months,” he continued.
“And what must you eat to have enough blood? Potato, yam, greens, vegetables and fruits,” he revealed.
Dofai said these are the important things that all blood donors need to consider before giving their blood.
The theme for the world blood donor day was be there for someone else, give blood share life.
By LESLEY SANGA
