The Eastern Cape Department of Transport’s Wellness unit held the second stage of the Blood Banks’ annual blood donation drive at the Stellenbosch Park Building in King William’s Town today.
This campaign aims at instilling a healthy lifestyle particularly amongst the youth who constitute a critical base for the sustainability of safe blood and successful implementation of blood bank clinics and is focused on the following:
- promotion of good nutrition
- regular physical activity
- safe sexual behaviour
- responsible use of alcohol
- and tobacco control
“A healthy nation is the best source of safe blood and the supply of sufficient safe blood is one of the key elements of modern day health care systems”, said Wellness Unit Manager, Sindiswa Magwebu.
Magwebu added that all donations will be screened for transmissible diseases and processed for blood transmission services, whilst a first time donor will donate mainly for the purpose of screening for transmissible diseases and after the donor has donated more than three times, it is accepted that the risk, due to the window period, has been significantly reduced.
Blood cannot be manufactured but it comes as a gift from people and the need of blood increases during holidays and summer months as people are frequently travelling and active during these times and thus there is an increased risk for accidents.
SANBS (South African National Blood Services) provides one of the safest blood transfusion services in the world and there is a need to continuously update the risk of profiling of blood based on scientific evidence to maintain the highest possible safely levels in blood transfusion services in the country, therefore people should commit to donate four times a year.
Donation appointments can be made at www.sanbs.org.za or by calling Toll free number 0800 11 9031 or on Facebook & Twitter.
