Frequently asked questions on blood donation
- Part 2 -

Dr A Meina Singh *

Blood Donation at The Great June Uprising Observation at Kekrupat on June 18 2013 :: Pix - Deepak Oinam

20. Is blood donation safe for the donor?

Blood donation is a safe procedure; there is no risk of contracting hepatitis or HIV infection through blood donation.

21. Is blood donation harmful to the health?

Blood donation is harmless to the body. This is explained by the fact that the blood volume in the male is approximately 76 ml/kg body weight and in female is 66 ml/kg body wt of blood present. But the body's requirement is about 50 ml/kg body wt. You are donating < 8 ml/kg body weight, thus you have surplus blood of 26-8=18 ml/kg body wt in males and 8 ml/kg body weight in females.

22. Is the needle very painful?

Not very painful, these needles are very sharp, Teflon coated and the pain is just a sudden little sting only intramuscular injection is more painful.

23. Will I become fatty, gain weight, lose weight, darken complexion after blood donation?

Not at all, nothing like that, are all these myths.

24. How often can I donate blood?

Every 3 months, (a healthy male can donate 188 times between his 18 to 65 years of age)

25. Is written consent from the donor is required?

Yes. Blood bank cannot collect blood from a donor without his/her consent.

26. Any special diet or iron supplementation is necessary after blood donation?

No, routine diet is sufficient. Iron supplementation is not required.

27. Within how many days I'll become normal after blood donation?

After donation, you do not become abnormal. Your blood volume will be replaced within 24 hrs, Hb% within 3-4 weeks.

28. What are benefits of voluntary blood donation?

a. General benefits:

* Blood donation a goodwill act, one of the noblest and selfless of all deeds. After donation you experience a feeling of contentment saving somebody's life the feeling of which words cannot express.

* You get to know your blood group, Rhesus Type, BP, Hb%, your current medical status (mini health check up) etc for free

* Your blood will be tested for HIV, HCV, HBV, Syphilis and malaria, and in case of any reactivity, you will be informed confidentially and we'll help you in guiding for further investigations and treatment.

* You'll be given a certificate/card of appreciation and assure one unit of blood without replacement when needed for you or your close family member (father, mother, husband, wife, son, daughter, brother& sister only). This will be valid for 12 months from the date of your donation. If you are a repeated voluntary blood donor, we feel morally bound to fulfill blood needs of a repeated VBD.

b. Medical benefit from repeated blood donation:

* Yes, a regular/repeated blood donation prevents excessive accumulation of iron to the body which is toxic to organs especially in heart and prevents heart attacks in men. Further, repeated blood donation is effective in lowering blood pressure, blood sugar, glycosylated haemoglobin and bad cholesterol. For those who have high cholesterol level, blood donation can reduce it.

* By donating blood, your bone marrow produces new fresh young blood cells which are more useful for your body.

29. What is blood component separation/transfusion?

In IHBT, RIMS the whole blood is separated into 3-4 components such as Packed red cells (PRBC), Platelets concentrates (PC), Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP), Cryoprecipitates (Cryo) etc and can be used in different patients to correct the specific deficiencies. Globally, only blood components are transfused nowadays. Component transfusion ensures blood economy (one whole blood unit is separated into 3-4 blood components and used in 3-4 patients), minimises the hazards of WB transfusion and some components can be stored longer e.g. fresh frozen plasma can be stored for one year at -300C . IHBT RIMS has this facility since 1st October 2002.

30. What the blood banks do to the donated blood?

In IHBT Department of RIMS, the unit of whole blood collected is subjected to:

a. Component separation to packed RBC, platelets, fresh frozen plasma as per need.

b. Blood grouping, Rhesus Typing (mandatory)

c. Testing for Infection (TTI) markers for HIV 1 &2, Hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis (mandatory)

d. Antibody screening and identification (optional)

e. Compatibility/Cross matching procedures before issue of the blood unit (mandatory)

f. Documentation. (mandatory)

31.What is service charge?

Blood bank/Institutes charge some nominal amount from the patient as service charges. These are for the cost of blood bags, reagents, blood grouping, TTI testing, cross matching, other materials and costs etc. This amount is fixed by NACO, MACS, SBTC and respective blood banks. The following table shows the charges levied from patients by government/NACO supported blood banks in Manipur:

Blood/component

Govt. Hospital Patients (Rs), Private Hospital patients (Rs), Whole blood /Packed RBC, 350/-, 850/-, Platelet components 200/-, 400/- Fresh Frozen Plasma/Plasma200/- 400 Cryoprecipitate 100/- 200/-

However, these service charges are free for patients suffering from thalassemia major, haemophilia and sickle cell anemia.

32. Is there a system of buying and selling of blood in IHBT (Blood Bank) RIMS?

No, Not at all. The blood units in blood banks are for the needy patients; these are not for the blood banks. Blood banks only collect, process and supply the safe blood to the needy patients. Blood trading i.e. buying and selling of blood is banned in this country by a directive of Hon'ble Supreme Court of India since 1st January 1998. There should not be any coercion or involvement of money in blood donation. However, in Manipur, there are certain people doing the business of blood trading and masquerade themselves as blood suppliers for the needy patients endangering blood safety of the state and voluntary blood donation movement. Stay away from these touts.

33. I don't have any replacement donor for my ailing relative, what should I do?

If you are honest enough, come to the IHBT Department and discuss with us. If your case is genuine, we'll ask for a letter from the concerned clinician consultant as proof of non-availability of replacement donors and IHBT Dept shall consider fulfilling your blood need subject to the availability of stock and rationality of the requisition.

34. May I know to whom my blood was transfused?

No, you cannot, anonymity is maintained between donor and recipient.

35. How the blood stock in IHBT RIMS is maintained?

The blood stock in IHBT RIMS is run and maintained by the blood donated by voluntary blood donors (individuals and in blood donation camps) and replacement by the relatives and friends of their patients.

36. Why there is always short supply of blood in the blood banks?

a. Blood donation rate is very low, both voluntary and replacement donations.

b. IHBT RIMS supplies considerable number of blood units without replacements to emergency life saving situations such as massive bleeding following severe injuries, massive bleeding during complicated child birth. We also consider supplying blood without replacement donors to multitransfused patients such as blood cancer, thalassemia patients etc and to genuinely helpless patients.

c. Poor application of knowledge of rational use of blood and components in leading to unnecessary transfusion and depletion of blood inventory and depriving blood to the really needy patients.

d. Many other factors.

37. What can I do, if I am not eligible to donate blood?

Be an activist to recruit new voluntary blood donors and retain them. It is every body's social and moral responsibility to inculcate the culture of blood donation to the public through structured awareness campaigns. Your service is even more greater than being a blood donor.

Give the gift of life, Donate Blood.

YOUR PRECIOUS BLOOD CAN SAVE AT LEAST 3 LIVES.(Issued for public awareness by: Dept. of Immunohaematology & Blood Transfusion, RIMS, Imphal-795004 (for any query, feedback, suggestions etc, Please contact: [email protected])

Concluded..

(Issued for public awareness by: Dept. of Immunohaematology & Blood Transfusion, RIMS, Imphal-795004 )