Blood Donation & its Importance
What
is blood?
One can almost say that blood is that magic potion which gives life
to another person. Though we have made tremendous discoveries and inventions
in Science we are not yet able to make the magic potion called Blood.
Human blood has no substitute. Requirement of safe blood is increasing
and regular voluntary blood donations are vital for blood transfusion
services.
Why Donate Blood ?
Blood is the part of life that is given to those who need it by those who have the resource to satisfy the need.
The love of fellow human and a desire to share something of oneself is what singles out a blood donor from the others.
Emergencies occur every minute. For each patient requiring blood, it is an emergency and
the patients could have set back if blood is not available.
Who
can donate blood?
Donor should be between 18-55 years of age with a weight of 50 kg or
above with pulse rate, body temperature and blood pressure should be
normal. Both men and women can donate. There are only few conditions
in which donors are permanently excluded. The donor with history of
epilepsy, psychotic disorders, abnormal bleeding tendencies, severe
asthma, cardiovascular disorders, malignancy are permanently unfit for
blood donation. Donors suffering from disease like hepatitis, malaria,
measles, mumps, and syphilis may donate blood after full recovery with
3-6 months gap. Also people who have undergone surgery, blood transfusion
may safely donate blood after 6-12 mths for woman donors who are pregnant
or lactating blood is not taken as their iron reserves are already on
the lower side.
How
much blood can be taken?
Our body has 5.5 ltr of blood of which only 350 ml - 450 ml of blood
is taken depending upon weight of donor. Majority of healthy adults
can tolerate withdrawal of one unit of blood. The withdrawn blood volume
is restored within 24 hours and the hemoglobin and cell components are
restored in 2 months. Therefore it is safe to donate blood every three
months.
Who Needs Blood ?
Your blood helps more than one life at a time. Every 2 seconds someone needs blood.
Accidents, premature babies, major surgeries require Whole blood, where your blood after testing is used directly.
Trauma, Anemia, other surgeries requires only RBC, which is separated from your blood.
The procedure of splitting blood components is called Cytapheresis.
Similarly Platelets are used for Cancer patients undergoing Chemotherapy, Dengue fever, etc.
Fresh frozen plasma is used for patients having massive Transfusions, Plasma is used for Burns and Cryoprecipitate is used for Hemophilia.
So this year Dear friends ' Donate
Blood ' and give somebody a GIFT
OF LIFE .