Blood collected is actually ‘whole blood’. The wholesome blood includes white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets, coagulation factors and liquid part (plasma) combined altogether. This is stored by adding special preservatives in blood banks to extend its shelf life and is delivered to patients as and when needed.

What and how much are you actually donating when giving blood?

A healthy donor has around 5 to 6 liters of blood in his/ her body. A single episode of blood donation simply means taking out 300 to 350 ml, which gets replenished within the next three months. In other words, if our body has 10 pints a single episode of blood donation is just giving 1 pint. Blood collected is actually ‘whole blood’. The wholesome blood includes white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets, coagulation factors and liquid part (plasma) combined altogether. This is stored by adding special preservatives in blood banks to extend its shelf life and is delivered to patients as and when needed. Shelf life of blood components varies depending on the type: five days for platelets, thirty-five to forty days for the red cells and up to one year for plasma.

How does a single unit of blood save multiple lives?

Unlike decades ago, the advent of automation and technology has now made it possible to separate whole blood into components and preserve each one separately. Post donation, within a maximum span of six hours the whole blood is centrifuged in a special equipment at blood banks under temperature controlled sterile settings and separated into plasma, platelets, and packed red blood cells.  When needed White blood cells and cryoprecipitate can also be selectively extracted as per patients demands. Each component is stored in separate bags under optimal conditions. Packed red blood cells are high in oxygen content and are used to increase hemoglobin levels and in cases of hemorrhage to make up for blood loss. 

The plasma replenishes the fluids lost in cases like burns and is also a source of coagulation factors which help in the normal clotting process. Platelets are particles which play an important role in hemostasis, prevent bleeding from vessels and are used in thrombocytopenic patients like those with viral illness like dengue. The white blood cells are extracted when specifically asked for by a process called apheresis. Heart & brain surgeries, bone marrow and organ transplants, burn victims, patients undergoing other major surgeries, women facing unexpected complications during delivery, inherited blood disorder for patients with sickle cell anaemia and thalassemia patients are the most in need of blood transfusion.

As per WHO 38% of reported voluntary blood donors are under the age of 35, hence insists countries focus on creating awareness to donate among this age group. Knowledge plays a key role in blood donation as half knowledge or misconceptions can defer one from donating blood and also spread wrong information among peers.

Facts, Inhibition and Attitude towards blood donation

As per WHO 38% of reported voluntary blood donors are under the age of 35, hence insists countries focus on creating awareness to donate among this age group. Knowledge plays a key role in blood donation as half knowledge or misconceptions can defer one from donating blood and also spread wrong information among peers. A study by Bharadwaj and group (2019)  has shown that there is a positive attitude towards the voluntary blood donation among youths in our country from both medical and non-medical educational backgrounds. In spite of having an optimistic attitude only a few donate due to lack of knowledge and awareness about the modes to donate blood.

How much time will it take to donate blood?

A common misconception is regarding the duration taken for one to donate blood. An entire episode of blood donation is over within an hour! Many blood banks across the country have slots and timings that help reduce waiting time by booking an appointment. A few centers collect blood by direct walk in. Below is a quick overview of a blood donation process.

The blood banks first provide a questionnaire for the donor to be filled regarding his or her basic personal details and medical history. A brief overview and pre-transfusion counselling is given to the donor by the staff. After basic tests like checking hemoglobin, blood pressure and temperature screening, if the donor is fit to donate it just takes 10 to 15 minutes to collect the blood. Post-donation the donor is asked to rest for ten minutes, during which some light refreshment or fresh fruit is given to replenish the energy. A certificate is given as a token of appreciation and for documentation purposes to the donors. The donor is advised to keep the bandage on the arm for six hours, drink plenty of fluids, defer from lifting heavy weights, smoking and alcohol intake for the next 24 hours. A gap of three months for males and four months for females is ideal between blood donations.

Where do I find an opportunity to donate blood?

Many studies have shown that the youth of our country, though willing, are unbriefed about the means to donate the blood. Given below are a few simple opportunity that motivate the donors.

Quick Facts And Clarifications

So now that we get to know the modes to donate, let us get our facts right about blood donation..

I’m a vegetarian. I don’t have enough blood to donate.

Can donate. A balanced diet is all it takes to restore the volume donated.

Donating blood is a time-consuming task.

On an average the entire process lasts for not more than an hour!

Too much blood is taken from my body.

Only an average of  350 ml  is drawn compared to the 5 – 6 liters of blood in your body!

Donating blood weakens my immunity.

The immune system in no way is affected by this.

I am on medications, cannot donate blood.

Not all medications are contraindicated for donation. You can still donate after clarification.

I’m a female : cannot donate blood.

All females fulfilling basic donor eligibility  can donate (other than durations of breastfeeding, pregnancy, periods and abortions).

HIV and other infections can be contracted from donation.

Sterility is maintained at all steps, with a new sterile needle being used for every donor.

No one has asked me to donate!

The need for donated blood is always there. Read below to see how you can make a change!

So, the next time you donate remember that you have saved three lives because……

From your one donated blood unit you would have literally provided a bag of red blood cells for an anaemic lady or a trauma patient with massive bleeding who is being operated in your vicinity, one unit of platelet for a patient having dengue and a unit of fresh plasma for a farmer who has had a snake bite wound and has landed in casualty. 

Let us work together for a better world, let us not only be aware but also spread the awareness among our near and dear ones about the need of coming forward and finding opportunities for donating blood. As another calendar year 2022 makes its beginning, incorporate this one also in your ‘TO DO’ list of resolutions for the new year.  To donate blood and save a life. ‘ LET BLOOD WAIT FOR THE PATIENT AND NOT PATIENT FOR BLOOD’

Composed by: “Dr.Archana Shetty, is currently working as a Blood Transfusion Officer and Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology at CDSIMER under the aegis of Dayananda Sagar University. With a teaching and diagnostic experience of over 12 years she is actively involved in blood transfusion services at the hospital.”

Photo from Unsplash

The post It Just Takes Fifteen Minutes To Be A Hero And Save Three Lives …<br>What’s Stopping Us From Being One? appeared first on InnoHEALTH magazine.

While at one corner the donors were hesitant with apprehensions of even visiting the blood centres, recipients were jittered with the thought of the virus being transmitted through the received blood.

The pandemic has brought in revolutionary changes in diagnostics, new chapters have been written in terms of medications, genetics, treatment protocols, vaccination to name a few. However, the fact that the need for human blood during the pandemic was there cannot be changed,it is there and will only continue to grow. Though hospitals witnessed a drop in the scheduled planned surgeries, the need for blood units persisted due to its therapeutic roles in trauma victims, anaemic, thalassemics and cancer management. The only life saving medicine that cannot be manufactured but can only be passed on from a generous donor to a patient in need is the human blood. The demand and supply chain was badly affected. While at one corner the donors were hesitant with apprehensions of even visiting the blood centres, recipients were jittered with the thought of the virus being transmitted through the received blood. To add on was the constraint of conducting voluntary blood donation camps, restrictions on travel which further affected the workforce. These, along with other factors made it challenging to pile up blood stock and suffice the blood demands of the patients in need.

As a team working in a Blood Centre affiliated to a tertiary care hospital, that caters to a vast rural population, we took the responsibility of motivating all potential healthy donors in and around our campus. What came as a surprise was that a few key facts needed to be cleared which were engraved in their minds, especially regarding COVID-19 and Blood Donation. A snippet of the same has been given below with the hope that voluntary blood donation can be boosted up.

If you are a donor who wants to donate blood……

Blood donation during Covid is absolutely safe. All good Blood Centres practice stringent protocols of safety and donor screening. Spacing and repeated cleaning of donor stations, sanitizing places of potential contamination, wearing protective masks compulsorily and following biomedical waste disposal as per regulatory bodies are being followed. Also voluntary donor appointments are fixed by allotting time slots to avoid crowding at Blood Centres. 

Vaccination and Covid……

The Notification from the Government of India has now declared that one can donate after 14 days of receiving any/each dose of currently available Covid vaccine, provided that the donor clears all the criteria for other norms of Blood donation. So, after two weeks past a vaccination one can be an eligible donor!

If at any point time one was hospitalized for Covid the proposed deferral period is 3 months from hospital discharge. Published studies and literature till date have shown that respiratory viruses like the SARS CoV2 cannot be transmitted by donation or transfusion.

What if you have got infected with Covid ………

According to the guidelines in India, a person can donate after 28 days of full recovery and without any further symptoms. If at any point time one was hospitalized for Covid the proposed deferral period is 3 months from hospital discharge. Published studies and literature till date have shown that respiratory viruses like the SARS CoV2 cannot be transmitted by donation or transfusion. So either as a donor or recipient you are safe!

Social media and healthcare related websites have been playing a crucial role in the dissemination of facts and myths pertaining to Blood donation ever since the Pandemic was declared. However it is recommended to follow credible websites and to directly speak to your doctor for any clarifications. 

The above was a bird’s eye view of the need and clarifications regarding blood donation and Covid. I will consider my little effort worthwhile , after going through the above matter the little angel in your mind shouts out to you ‘ It’s time to be a hero and save lives, it’s time to donate blood and the time is NOW’

Composed by: “Dr.Archana Shetty, is currently working as a Blood Transfusion Officer and Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology at CDSIMER under the aegis of Dayananda Sagar University. With a teaching and diagnostic experience of over 12 years she is actively involved in blood transfusion services at the hospital.”

The post Blood donation amidst the pandemic: If you haven’t then the time to donate is now! appeared first on InnoHEALTH magazine.