[imagesource: SABC News]

Consider yourself incredibly lucky if you or someone you love has not ever needed a life-saving blood transfusion.

It’s a haunting moment, one you hope you never have to go through.

Meanwhile, there are thousands of people in South Africa who may need extra blood to save their lives, and the alarming thing is that the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) is running dangerously low on stock.

In the wake of this bloodstock shortage, SANBS is urgently calling on South Africans to give blood to help meet the heightened demand from hospitals nationwide.

The service’s spokesperson Khensani Mhlangu said via EWN that blood rationing could become truly worrisome:

“Before we got to day zero would be a situation where blood would have to be rationed and only severe maybe cases of illness would get transfusions, meaning that those who rely on blood transfusions every now and again would not be able to access this blood and they would fall severely ill.”

Via IOL, spokesperson Thandi Mosupye said that because the nation’s blood stocks are so strained” the appeal for increased donations in aid of those who may need transfusions during this period is totally necessary:

Mosupye said that blood stocks have lingered below three days over a prolonged period and to avoid reaching critically low levels, the SANBS needs South Africans – active donors, lapsed donors and potential donors – to bolster the national blood stocks.

Right now, SANBS needs all the help it can get from current and potential donors and is running blood drives across the country throughout the week.

Blood groups O and B individuals can make the biggest, most immediate difference to the current situation, so they are urged to donate ASAP.

Image: SANBS

SANBS needs to collect 3 500 units of blood every single day of the year, which is enough blood to save three lives.

According to KwaZulu-Natal regional spokesperson Sifiso Khoza, KZN is the region in dire straights:

“This is to ensure that we have at least five days’ stock to supply the hospitals and blood banks throughout the country. KZN needs 500 units of blood every day, but unfortunately, we hardly make this number.”

This is apparently because only less than 1% of the South African population are blood donors, with KZN receiving 40% of its donations from school pupils and university students.

If you weigh at least 50 kilograms and are aged between 16 and 65 – in good health (particularly with no sexually transmitted diseases or drugs in your system) – then you can become a regular blood donor and save a couple of lives.

Head over to SANBS for more information on how to become a donor.

[sources:ewn&iol]