Blood donor malaria guidelines issued
The life-threatening disease is endemic to some parts of South Africa
MINDFUL of the fact many dedicated donors may have travelled to malaria endemic areas over the holidays, which could affect their ability to donate blood for several weeks after their return, SANBS has issued guidelines.
The life-threatening disease is endemic to some parts of South Africa, such as northern KZN and the Lowveld areas of Mpumalanga, and neighbouring high-risk countries including Swaziland and Mozambique.
According to the World Health Organization, Sub-Saharan African countries accounted for 90% and 92% of global malaria cases and deaths respectively in 2015.
In South Africa 10 000 cases of malaria are detected annually.
Transmission
Malaria is among the infectious diseases that SANBS prioritises in the screening process as it is transmitted from infected individuals through blood transfusions and infected needles.
The outcome for those infected can be deadly, therefore SANBS has adopted stringent procedures to curb its transmission.
The organisation conducts comprehensive interviews to obtain information from donors, thus reducing the risk of malaria-infected blood passing through the system.
These interviews form part of an integrated screening process which includes extensive laboratory testing of blood to prevent the transmission of malaria and other infectious diseases commonly found in South Africa, namely HIV, Hepatitis B and C and syphilis.
Criteria
These are the malaria-related exclusion criteria:
• Donors who have contracted malaria can donate three years after completing treatment.
• Donors who travel to high-risk areas can give blood four weeks after their return if they have not experienced any symptoms commonly associated with malaria, such as fever, sweating and headaches.
The guidelines are slightly different for donors who grew up in malaria areas outside South Africa and now live in the country.
If the time absent from their country of origin is:
• More than three years and they have made no visits back to those areas, they will be allowed to donate if they fit all other criteria.
• Less than three years and they have revisited the malaria area within the three years, they must wait for another three years before their next donation.
‘SANBS understands that our various processes can sometimes be difficult to understand and remember.
‘Therefore we urge all existing and potential donors to always seek information and advice from our donor centres and other channels including the toll-free number and the website,’ says SANBS Marketing Manager
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Silungile Mlambo.
