THERE is a severe shortage of blood stocks currently, sitting at between 2.2 and 2.8 days’ supply for O-negative, O-positive and AB.

As such, the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) is calling for donors to assist, as 3 500 units need to be collected daily.

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The Richards Bay Blood Donor Centre at Boardwalk Inkwazi Shopping Centre one location for donors to visit.

If you know of communities, corporates, schools, colleges, churches, residential complexes where the South African National Blood Service can get new blood donors, visit https://sanbs.org.za/book-blood-drive-form/ to sign them up.

Blood donation facts
• Just one unit of blood can be processed into three components; red cells, platelets and plasma – effectively saving three lives.
• Donation takes approximately 30 minutes.
• Less than 1% of South Africans are active blood donors.
• Donors can give blood as often as every eight weeks.
• Stocks are lowest during holidays when SANBS can’t visit schools, universities and corporates.

Blood donor requirements
• You are between the ages of 16 and 75 years old for first-time donors.
• You weigh a minimum of 50kgs (and platelets a minimum of 55kgs).
• You are in good health, lead a low-risk lifestyle, and consider your blood safe for transfusion.
• You have had a balanced meal within four hours of donating blood.
• You have not donated blood in the last 56 days (and platelets in the last 14 days).
• Your pulse is between 60-100 regular beats per minute.
• Your blood pressure is below 180 systolic (first number) and below 100 diastolic (second number) (180/100mmHg) and above 100 systolic (first number) and above 60 diastolic (second number) (100/60mmHg).
•Your haemoglobin level is 12.g for females and 13.g for males/dL or above.

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