Richards Bay blood donation drive a success
Blood stocks are currently at 6.3 days’ supply – a healthy situation for SANBS to be in – but this is by no means reason for donors to become complacent
LAST weekend’s blood drive hosted by the Richards Bay branch of the SA National Blood Service (SANBS) was a success, with more than 100 people choosing to donate.
A total of 105 donors attended the clinic and 88 units of blood were collected, of which 16 were from first-time donors. Almost half the total amount (51 units) came from the O blood type – commonly referred to as the universal donor.
Blood stocks are currently at 6.3 days’ supply – a healthy situation for SANBS to be in – but this is by no means reason for donors to become complacent.
The Richards Bay SANBS branch thanked all who donated over the weekend and encouraged more donors to support the Madiba Day initiative on Thursday, 18 July.
Help them better their target of 100 units on that day by donating at their Boardwalk Inkwazi premises between 8am and 5pm.
The SANBS has challenged all who want to donate on Madiba Day, to help boost numbers by bringing a friend. Blood donors can donate every 56 days and three lives could be saved from one unit.
In line with international standards, SANBS in KZN has reduced its haemoglobin cut-off in women from 12.5g/dl to 12g/dl. This is to prevent unnecessary deferrals of female donors.
SANBS is also now offering oral iron supplements to all donors, men and women, aged between 16 and 45.
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