ABOUT BLOOD AND BLOOD DONATION

What do I get by donating blood?

a. Any donation is noble. Donation of blood is the noblest of all because it saves a human life. You will experience the satisfaction that comes with helping someone in need.
b. Potential health benefits of blood donation --- reduces risk of heart attack if donated frequently; (2-3 times per year); in emergencies, for regular voluntary donors, we may be able to help with blood / blood components.

I am very busy, how and where can I donate blood?
a. Donation of blood takes only 30 minutes. REMEMBER, a little of your time means a LIFE for someone.
b. You can donate blood at Rotary TTK Blood Bank on working days, between 9:00 and 5:00pm

What is the source of the blood?
Motivated people fired with a desire to do something useful for the society. We accept only voluntary blood donors with clean medical history for the preparation of various blood components.

How often can one donate blood?
A healthy individual (male or female) can donate blood once in 90 days subject to acceptable level of pre-donation Haemoglobin concentration in blood.

Can I develop AIDS, Hepatitis or any other disease by donating blood?
NO. You cannot get AIDS by donating blood. The equipment used to collect blood is sterile, disposable, and completely safe and is only used once. The built – in tubing and needle are cut off after your donation and incinerated. As a donor, you have every right to satisfy yourself about the products used in the blood bank.

What is the shelf life of various components?
Red Blood Cells (RBCs) can be stored up to 35 days at 2°- 6° C, Platelets for 5 days at 21.5C – 22.5C with constant agitation and Plasma and Cryo precipitate for one year at less than – 30°C. When stored as whole blood, the clotting factors in the plasma lose their efficacy by 8 hours and the platelets lose their function after 24 hours. Hence, the need to use the blood and components stored at appropriate conditions.

How is blood safety ensured?
Blood transfusion can never be 100% safe. We test only for the presence of HIV HEPATITIS B virus, C virus, SYPHILIS, & MALARIA. What is safe today may not be safe as medical knowledge improves. Examples for this will be the new knowledge on Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis C Virus and HIV virus.

Are the blood components available any time of the day?
YES. The Rotary TTK Blood Bank works 24 X 7.

How else can I help?
Be a pheresis donor / Bone Marrow donor, donate regularly and motivate others to do so.

Who can be a voluntary blood donor?
One and all. If the age is between 18 and 60 years, body weight not less than 45 kgs and has not suffered from any major aliments within the last one year.

How much blood we have?
For men 76ml per kg of body weight and for women 66ml per kg of body weight

How much blood can one donate?
About 10% of your blood volume - 350ml & 450ml is what is generally collected.

What constitute blood?
Blood is made up of 45% cells (red cells, white blood cells & platelets) & 55% is plasma of which 92% is water.

What is the replenishment time of this donated blood?
Liquid part is replenished in 2 days; cells within 21 days.

Are good food, medicine and rest required after blood donation?
No. Normal food is sufficient. Half an hour after blood donation one can resume normal activities. It is, however, advisable to avoid sternums work for 12 h or work at a height for 12 hrs.

What is the responsibility of voluntary blood donors?
To provide correct information about one’s health status before blood donation.

Can one donate blood if one just wants to do so?
Yes. Only after medical check up, if doctor considers him / her fit to donate.

Blood is needed every minute
- To replace blood lost because of accidents or diseases.
- For major and minor surgery, including open heart surgery, organ transplant etc.
- For burns victims
- For patients of dengue fever
- For patients suffering from anaemia
- During child birth for the mother
- For exchange transfusion in new born infants
- To make blood derivatives that are used to treat medical problems
- For children suffering from ailments like Thalassaemia and Haemophilia (bleeding disorders), Leukaemia (blood cancer) etc.

Procedure for donating a unit of blood
- The donor registers by providing name and other personal data
- A brief medical history of illness or ailments is asked. The purpose of the interview is to confirm that the donor is healthy to donate blood at that time. This is also to ensure the recipient’s safety. The vital signs of the donor are checked. These include, blood pressure, pulse and temperature. ESTIMATION OF HEMOGLOBULIN (Hb%).
- The actual donation of blood takes only 5 to 7 minutes. A new needle, which is sterile and disposable, is inserted into the vein on the inner surface of the elbow joint. There is a slight sting / pain. The blood is then collected in a sealed, sterile specially made bag.
- Light refreshments follow a rest period of about 10 minutes.
- The total process takes 30-45 minutes

Won’t my body suffer if I donate blood?
No
- The average adult has about 5000ml of blood.
- The amount you donate is 350ml – 450ml which is about 8- 9 % of the total volume
- Your body keeps discarding and replenishing blood all the time whether you donate it or not. By the time you leave the blood bank, your body has started replacing the blood you have given. Within 24 to 36 hours the volume donated is completely restored. However, it takes a little longer for new cells to be formed.

Will I feel weak?
Donating blood does not cause weakness, fatigue or discomfort. You can resume your normal work immediately. Although about 4% of donors have some reaction mainly due to psychological fear.

How long will it take for processing blood?

The blood collected is processed and available for use within 24 hours
Whole blood is separated into components (red cell concentrate, fresh frozen plasma and platelet concentrate). After processing red cells are stored at 2° - 6°C upto 35 days. Plasma can be frozen and stored for upto one year. Platelets have a very short expiry and can be stored only for 5 days.

Are health history questions necessary every time?
To ensure the safest possible blood supply, all screening questions must be asked of all donors at each donation. The Drugs department insists that all blood banks conform to this practice.

How can I increase my iron level?
Donors may be deferred from donating due to a low iron (hemoglobin) level. For donation to be acceptable, the minimum Hb% should be 12.5% (normal Hb%11-14.5). This requirement is for the safety of the donor to ensure that after donation this his / her iron level will still be within the normal range for a healthy adult. Eating food high in iron (e.g. red meat, dark green vegetables, raisins etc,) or taking a multivitamin with iron will help increase iron levels.

Should I have food before donation?

Must have breakfast or lunch one hour before donation. Do not donate on empty stomach or when feeling hungry

I have had alcohol can I donate?

Yes. You can donate after 12 hrs.

Can I smoke after donation?

Yes. You can smoke after 2 hrs.

Medical Science is advancing by leaps and bounds but man has not yet been able to develop a substitute for human blood. Blood received from a healthy donor can help save a life. Voluntary donors are the only ethical source. Voluntary blood donation has to be a mass movement, a social and a moral obligation of every healthy individual.

Be a donor. Help save a life.

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Apheresis

What is apheresis
Apheresis is an automated blood collection system which enables donors to provide full therapeutic doses of lifesavings blood components

In this procedure which is done at the blood bank the donors blood flows through apheresis cell separating machine , each time a separate disposable kit is used for each donor.
Require component is collected by the machine and the remaining blood is give back to the donor.
The apheresis equipment is a closed system donors blood will never come in contact with machine or outside atmosphere
Each time blood counts are performed for each donation and screened for transfusion transmitted infections
The whole procedure takes about 1½ to 2 hours.

Advantage of single apheresis donation over single platelet concentrate donation
Single platelet concentration donation: In this procedure 450 ml of blood is collected from the donor and the whole blood is separated into components namely red cell, plasma and platelets. Platelet yield is limited.

Single apheresis donation here only platelet concentrate is collected from the donor which is equal to 6 – 8 times of platelet concentrate advantage is we are exposing one donor instead of 6 – 8 donors to the patent .