The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) is recognised as an essential service by the government and therefore, blood collections, laboratory services and related activities will continue to function, with strict COVID-19 safety protocols in place. The Department of Labour has issued the SANBS with a letter of good standing in this regard.
We appeal to the public to please remain calm, open-minded and safe during these trying times, by adhering to the restricted measures announced by the President. In doing so, it is important to remember that the action of donating blood remains an essential service, and may therefore proceed as usual, with all precautions followed.
Following the Level 4 announcement, most blood drives are recording very poor support from the public, with blood being needed every single day. Enough blood tomorrow won’t help anyone today.
A person may donate blood immediately after being vaccinated, provided they don’t have any symptoms of infection and that the usual blood donation screening tests are in order.
The SANBS does offer an appointment system, allowing donors to schedule donation appointments in advance. This is to avoid waiting times, giving donors with appointments preference, even though walk-in donors will still be more than welcome.
On World Blood Donor Day, 14 June, the SANBS launched a new Commitment Campaign where donors will receive a special gift at every 2nd donation made. This is not only for donors who were able to donate blood four times in the same calendar year, as was the case before. Any person who donates a unit of blood from now until 14 August 2021 will receive the launch gift.
Thereafter, donors will continue to receive a gift at every alternate donation. It is therefore important to donate blood regularly, not only to keep on saving lives, but to ensure donors qualify for the many amazing gifts up for grabs. By using these branded gifts, donors are true ambassadors for SANBS, and we rely on that influence to reach more people.
Another major change introduced is the new policy on haemoglobin cut-off levels. The cut-off levels have been reduced from 12.5 to 12.0 for females and increased to 13.0 for male donors. An additional laboratory ferritin test will be done on all donors, on every 4th donation. Ferritin tests assess the iron stores in the blood, rather than the haemoglobin that only looks at how much iron is already in circulation.
With these changes, SANBS will be able to provide better donor care, resulting in many more happy years of donating blood.
SANBS – Trusted to Save Lives. Not sometimes, but always – even during a pandemic.
For more information contact our call centre on 0800 11 9031 or visit our website on www.sanbs.org.za