Even before birth at about 3-5 weeks from conception the heart of the foetus starts to beat and pump the most vital fluid tissue of our body that is Blood. It is responsible for transporting nutrients, electrolytes, hormones, vitamins, antibodies, heat and most importantly oxygen. It also removes waste matter and carbon dioxide from the body. The White blood cells are body's primary defence against infections while the platelets help in clotting of wounds.
The whole point is that Blood is life but what happens when there is shortage of this life-giving fluid? What happens when there is an accident and due to heavy bleeding the victim is close to death but only one thing can save him that is blood? Where will he get this vital fluid? The solution to this 'Blood Bank' which stores and dispatches blood when emergency. Are they enough?
Let us look at some statistics:-
One more fact-
There are four types of transfusable products that can be derived from blood : red blood cells, platelets, plasma and cryoprecipitate. Typically, two or three of these are produced from a unit of donated whole blood – Hence each donation can help save up to 3 lives. So donate 1 unit of blood and save as many as 3 lives.
Only 7 percent of people in India have O-negative blood type. O-negative blood type donors are universal donors as their blood can be given to people of all blood types.
Type O-negative blood is needed in emergencies before the patient's blood type is
known and with newborns who need blood
I was afraid of needles, hospital procedures, blood and treatments from childhood but got past my fear this week. I went to a Christian Medical College, Vellore blood bank and donated 1 unit of blood and the staff told me it will go to some accident victim that had arrived that day. It was not even painful and I saved one or two lives. It feels great so more and more people should start donating. I am a blood buddy and will continue donating in future too.
Are you a Blood Buddy?
The whole point is that Blood is life but what happens when there is shortage of this life-giving fluid? What happens when there is an accident and due to heavy bleeding the victim is close to death but only one thing can save him that is blood? Where will he get this vital fluid? The solution to this 'Blood Bank' which stores and dispatches blood when emergency. Are they enough?
Let us look at some statistics:-
- Every year our nation requires about 4 crore units of blood out of which only 40 Lakh units are available. Shocking right? No, We live in a country of 125 crore people!
- Every 2 seconds someone needs blood BUT not every 2 seconds someone donates it. Basically demand and supply ratio is never satisfied due to lack of enough blood banks/ donations.
- A single car accident victim can require as many as 100 units of blood
- More than 38,000 blood donations are needed every day. It is not a large number considering our population but truth is that this number is never reached! Only 10 percent of this number is reached.
The most important fact of all is-
Blood cannot be manufactured – it can only come from generous donors
The only solution is donate more and in large numbers and become blood buddies by saving lives of others.
Let us see blood donation process in brief now-
- Blood donation is a safe and healthy process in which a sterile needle is used for each donor and then discarded. Every healthy adult can donate blood with an interval of 56 days!
- It is a four step process- Registration, Med history and mini physical checkup, Donation and Refreshments.
- Donors are kept under rest for 10-15 minutes after donation to prevent any adverse conditions.
- For safe donation a doctor does the mini physical checkup to see if the BP, pulse, hemoglobin and temperature are alright.
- The donation time takes less than 12 minutes but the total process takes around an hour.
- An average person has 10 units of blood in the body and one donation means only 1 unit which will soon be produced by his body again.
- The donated blood is tested for various infections by the lab and sent to hospitals for treatment of patients who need blood.
One more fact-
There are four types of transfusable products that can be derived from blood : red blood cells, platelets, plasma and cryoprecipitate. Typically, two or three of these are produced from a unit of donated whole blood – Hence each donation can help save up to 3 lives. So donate 1 unit of blood and save as many as 3 lives.
Only 7 percent of people in India have O-negative blood type. O-negative blood type donors are universal donors as their blood can be given to people of all blood types.
Type O-negative blood is needed in emergencies before the patient's blood type is
known and with newborns who need blood
0.4 percent of people have AB-blood type. AB-type blood donors are universal
donors of plasma, which is often used in emergencies, for newborns and for patients
requiring massive transfusions.
I was afraid of needles, hospital procedures, blood and treatments from childhood but got past my fear this week. I went to a Christian Medical College, Vellore blood bank and donated 1 unit of blood and the staff told me it will go to some accident victim that had arrived that day. It was not even painful and I saved one or two lives. It feels great so more and more people should start donating. I am a blood buddy and will continue donating in future too.
Are you a Blood Buddy?
