SANBS running low on blood

Blood stocks are significantly low, according to the South African National Blood Services (SANBS).

The services said it was experiencing a high demand for blood from hospitals across the country.

According to the agency, its blood stocks were strained. It appealed to South Africans to donate blood and help those in need of transfusion during this period.

“Blood levels have improved lately but we’re not in the clear yet,” said SANBS spokesperson Khensani Mahlangu.

Mahlangu attributed the shortage of blood to the increase in the number of patients who needed blood.

“There’s a high demand coming from hospitals. People are donating, but the demand currently outweighs donations coming in.”

On the question of whether public hospitals were not doing enough to encourage their patients to donate blood, Mahlangu said the responsibility did not lie with public hospitals but with the blood agency.

“The responsibility to encourage donations is not that of public hospitals, so they aren’t to blame. As SANBS, we are always encouraging donations but still not enough people donate,” she reiterated.

To avoid reaching critically low levels, SANBS invited active donors, lapsed donors and potential donors to bolster the national blood stocks.

The agency, furthermore, said would be conducting blood drives across the country.

“There are several donor centres in Pretoria, including Centurion, Faerie Glen, Hatfield, Sammy Marks and Kollonade, to name a few.”

All those who would want to donate blood should be between the ages of 16 and 75 years old.

First-time donors must weigh a minimum of 50 kg and for donating platelets a minimum of 55 kg.

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