Frequently Asked Questions

How can I donate blood?

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Blood donation can be given in any public sector blood bank.

 

Can I be a regular donor?

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Yes, you can register yourself as a regular donor.

 

How are platelets prepared?

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There are two methods in practice for this:

  • Single donor method
  • Multi donor method
 

What is blood?  How much blood a person has?

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Blood is the red fluid which circulates in the whole body by a special circulatory system. Its function is to transport oxygen, nutrients, hormones etc. to cells of the body and carrying back waste material from the cells. An adult male has 70 ml/kg blood while an adult female has 67 ml/kg blood. For example, a male of 70 kg weight has (70 x 70 = 4900 ml) 4.9 liters of blood in his body.

 

What is blood composition?

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Blood contains cellular elements (45%) and a fluid part Plasma (55%) which is made up of 90% water and 10 % solids. The cellular part consists of red blood cells (provides oxygen to tissues), white blood cells (fight infection) and platelets (vital to stop bleeding).

 

How much blood is donated?

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At one time an adult can donate up to 13% of his total body blood volume or 10.5 ml/kg. An average blood donation is about 450 ml which is collected in 8 - 10 minutes. This blood is collected in a sterilized plastic bag which contains solution to prevent clotting of blood.

 

How frequently one can donate blood?

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An adult male can donate blood after every three months (4 times in a year) while an adult female can donate three times in a year.

 

Who can donate blood?

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An individual male or female who is between 18 - 60 years of age, is disease free, physically and mentally healthy, never had hepatitis, weight 50 kg or more, hemoglobin level 12g/dl or more, can donate blood.

 

What tests are performed on donated blood?

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The blood donated is tested for blood group (ABO and Rh), hepatitis B and C, HIV ½ (Aids), Syphilis and Malaria.

 

How my blood will be used?

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The donated blood can be separated into three different components namely red blood cells, platelets concentrates, and fresh frozen plasma (FFP). These components could be transfused to three patients needing different blood components. Thus, one donated blood bag can save three lives. Each component is stored at different temperatures.

 

Will I become weak after donating blood?

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There is no permanent weakness after blood donation. Blood volume is made up by the body in a few days, white blood cells in 5 days and red blood cells in 21 days and you can safely donate blood after 3 months.

 

Do I get any compensation for donating blood?

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There is no compensation as it is a purely voluntary act. You are, however, informed about your blood grouping results and blood screening results. You also get a blood donor card and a certificate of appreciation.

 

Who will benefit from my blood donations?

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Donated blood is transfused to patients suffering from thalassemia, haemophilia, anaemia, cancer, kidney failure, dialysis, liver failure etc. Patients undergoing various kinds of operations including those of accidents and emergencies also require blood transfusions.

 

What should I do before donating blood?

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Blood should not be donated with an empty stomach. Before donating blood, take light refreshment like biscuit, tea, water, juice, etc. Blood should not be donated soon after heavy meal and before completion of three months from last blood donation.

 

What is the white fluid in the un-used blood bag?

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This fluid (called CPDA-1) prevents the blood from clotting and allows the shortage of whole blood for up to 35 days.

 

Can I catch any disease by donating blood?

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Blood donation is a very safe process and you cannot contract any infection during the process. Every unit is collected through a new, sterilize needle which is discarded after single use.

 

What I must do after donating blood?

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  • Lie down for 10 - 15 minutes; (raise your legs if your feel dizzy)
  • Drink at least one glass of water every 30 minutes for 2 hours
  • Avoid heavy exercise including weight lifting and for next two hours, do not drive a car
 

How long will it take to donate blood?

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The entire appointment takes about 30 minutes including clinical examination, filling out health questionnaire form, refreshment and rest afterwards. The actual whole blood donation itself takes around 10 minutes.