An inside look at the SANBS
Thousands of South Africans make donations to the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) every year but only a small fraction of those people actually know what the process entails.
POLOKWANE – In an effort to reward the public’s curiosity, SANBS hosted a tour of the national head office in Roodepoort in Johannesburg recently. The tour was aimed at explaining what happens to the blood arrival at the donation testing centre.
According to Clive Mkwanazi, Head of inventory at the donation testing centre, the common misconception is that donors only give blood. “What most people do not know is that from one bag of blood we can actually get 3 specimens. These include red blood cells, plasma, which contains protein and clotting factors, and platelets which are used in aiding the blood clotting process.
Mkwanazi says although they have had steady amounts of blood coming through, it is never be enough. “People are now donating more than ever but because there is always such a high demand for blood, we always need more. There is no such thing as having too much blood.”
“We struggle the most during winter, because people get sick a lot and they are less prone to donate because of the cold weather,” Mkwanazi explains.
Donation testing centre Supervisor, Solly Machaba says there is little room for error. “We test the blood within 24 hours of it being received and we do not test it once but three times to be sure. We test for diseases such as HIV, regardless of whether the person is a new or regular donor. We test the blood using the best technology. We have to ensure that the blood is safe for the recipient,” says Machaba.
With World Blood Day celebrated on 14 June, Ivan Hobbs from the marketing division of SANBS says it is important that people understand that they are saving lives. “World Donor Day is a day that is endorsed by the World Health Organisation. According to Hobbs, there is a specific theme for each year. “The World Health Organisation announces a theme and this year’s theme is blood connects us all, share life, give blood. It ties in beautifully with the campaign called Finish Our stories. You don’t just donate blood, you enable someone to finish their life story and give them a future,” Hobbs concludes.
