Blood donation involves voluntarily donating blood to medical institutions, with the sole aim of saving lives. According to blood service agencies, donating blood has several benefits, some of which are free basic health checks, a sense of fulfilment from saving someone’s life, and help for the body in producing new blood cells, among many other things.
A student who wishes to donate blood should know certain things before going through with the process. Here are ten of them;
Not everyone can donate blood.
Certain factors determine whether someone is eligible to donate. According to the World Health Organization, the permitted age range is 18 to 65, although some countries allow people aged 16 to 17 to donate, provided they meet the physical and haematological criteria. The minimum required weight is 50 kg. You must be healthy and free of any illness or infection.
Requirements vary depending on the country and the blood service. Students are advised to check with an authorized donation centre for accurate eligibility criteria before donating.
You don’t have to know your blood group before hand
Some students hesitate to donate because they don’t know their blood group, which prevents them from volunteering. However, your blood is tested and classified during the donation process.
The process does not usually take very long.
According to the American Red Cross, the whole process, from arrival to departure, takes about an hour, and the donation itself takes about 8 to 10 minutes on average.
Voluntary blood donation is different from replacement blood donation.
Voluntary blood donation means giving blood freely, without being asked to donate for a particular patient. Replacement donation, on the other hand, occurs when a patient’s family or friends are asked to replace blood that has been used for the patient. The World Health Organization encourages countries to build their blood supplies around regular, voluntary and unpaid donors because they provide a more reliable supply of safe blood.
One donation can help more than one person
Donated blood can be separated into different components, including red blood cells, plasma and platelets. These components can then be used separately according to patients’ needs. This means that one donation can potentially help several patients.
Your blood is screened before it is used.
Donating isn’t just a matter of giving blood to another person. The World Health Organization recommends testing and screening for the donated blood to ensure it isn’t infected with certain infections like HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C etc. As well as carrying out blood grouping and compatibility tests.
Donation intervals protect donor health.
Donors are usually advised to wait at least three to four months between whole blood donations, with longer intervals commonly recommended for women. This allows iron stores to recover fully.
You would be required to fill a registration form.
A registration form would be given to you at the donation center. This is to officiate and legalize your decision to go on with the donation. It is required that you fill everything accurately as they serve as an inquiry into your health background.
Aftercare is important.
Rest for a few minutes after donating and take the refreshments provided. Avoid strenuous exercise and heavy lifting for the remainder of the day. Mild bruising at the needle site is common and resolves on its own. Anyone who feels faint should lie down and alert a staff member.
The body replenishes what is donated.
A standard donation is about 450 ml. Plasma volume recovers within a day or two, and red blood cells are restored within several weeks.