6 Reasons Why You Should Donate Blood

Donating blood is something a lot of people have thought about, but most of us don’t do.

Today is World Blood Donor Day – so what better time to start?

Blood transfusion saves lives and improves health, but many patients requiring transfusion do not have timely access to safe blood. The need for blood transfusion may arise at any time in both urban and rural areas. The unavailability of blood has led to deaths and many patients suffering from ill-health. An adequate and reliable supply of safe blood can be assured by a stable base of regular, voluntary, unpaid blood donors.

Here are 6 reasons why you should donate blood:

1. Your donation is needed to save lives and improve health:

   Many patients require transfusions of safe blood and blood products. 400,000 units of blood are needed in Cameroon’s hospitals, however, only 70,000 units are donated annually

2. You are supporting the management of pregnancy related complications and other treatments:

   Blood transfusion is more often used for the management of pregnancy related complication, childhood malaria complicated by severe anemia and trauma related injuries. Transfusions are also commonly used for the supportive care in cardiovascular surgery, transplant surgery and hematological malignancies.

3. You would ensure adequate supply of safe blood:

   Adequate and reliable supply of safe blood can only be assured through regular, voluntary and unpaid blood donations. This is the surest way to achieve the WHO goal of self-sufficiency in safe blood and blood products per country.

4. Many people don’t do it:

   The median blood donation in low income countries like Cameroon is 4.6 donations per 1000 per year, that is in every 1000 persons, only 4.6 donate blood in one year. This compare with 7.8 donations in middle income countries and 32.1 donations per year in high income countries.

   

5. Your donation can benefit several patients:

   Separating blood into its various components (Red Blood Cells, Platelets and Plasma) allows a single unit of blood to benefit several patients. A pint of blood can thus save 3 to four lives. About 50% of blood collected in low-income countries is separated into blood components.

6. You might be the rare one:

   Some blood groups are rarer than others, while others run out faster such as O-negative which can be given to all patients in an emergency. The rarest blood group is AB-negative and you might just be the special rare one.

You now have 6 reasons why you should donate blood, so no excuses. Excuses never save a life but blood donation does. Don’t wait until disaster strikes; Give blood,Give now, Give often!

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