Donation centre needs blood supply
MIDRAND - Every Thursday between 8am and 4pm Midrand’s South African National Blood Services branch is open to all members of the public to donate blood.
The branch has been open for approximately three years and sports a fully-functional donation centre with four donation chairs.
The branch acquires most of its blood from blood drives that it holds in areas like Midrand, Bryanston and Fourways.
With the combined blood from the donation centre and the blood drives, they are expected to pull in 700-800 units of blood on a weekly basis to supplement the country’s 3 000 units per day quota.
Thabo Mphuthi, public relations practitioner for the Egoli North branch said the Midrand branch receives approximately 13 units of blood a day. He said that although the branch has an add-on donation centre, they would like to take in 27 units of blood per day.
In summer, the national blood services acquire most of their blood from school children, so in the grips of the winter holiday with an added element of sickness, they turn their attention to corporates to fill the void.
The branch has had blood drives at Dimension Data, Vodacom and Cell C, with a blood drive at Fresenius Kabi being scheduled for Mandela Day.
Mphuthi said the future of blood donation lies in the hands of the youth, and although donations from older generations are appreciated and needed, the youth need to fill the void because people cannot donate forever.
Mphuthi said the national blood services were trying to make the blood donation process the safest and most efficient it can be with great care taken for both the receiver and donor of the blood. For this reason, regular donors are encouraged and sought after to make the process the most productive it can be. He said the future lies in education, and with understanding, the system will flourish.
The Midrand Blood Donation Centre is located at 4 and 5 Gallagher Place at the Corner of West and Richards Roads.
