SANBS on Cares 2020

June is National Blood Donation Month. Donate blood and save a life.

A few things you need to know before you can donate blood: 

 Giving blood is simple, you need to be healthy and meet a few requirements than you can be on your way to becoming a donor.

• When you arrive at the clinic, you will be asked to complete a form by filling in your personal details and answering health-and lifestyle-related questions.
• To give blood, you must weight at least 50kg.
• Your finger will be pricked every time you donate blood. This serves to confirm that your haemoglobin level is within required range to donate blood.
• Your blood pressure and pulse will be checked each time you present for donation.
• Each blood donation is approximately 480ml.

PLASMA DONATION/COVID-19

The SANBS is exploring ways to use blood plasma for the treatment of COVID-19 patients locally. SANBS will be starting phase 2 clinical trials on plasma donated by recovered patients for national clinical trials to test the safety and effectiveness of convalescent plasma for the possible treatment of COVID-19. This includes supplying convalescent plasma to physicians currently treating patients with the virus in the context of the clinical trial.

A convalescent plasma donation is like a standard plasma donation. The key difference is the need for a specific type of donor for this clinical trial.

Your country needs you!

Have you or someone you know recovered from COVID-19?

The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) is looking for healthy donors who previously had COVID-19 to donate their plasma to be used in a trial to treat sick, hospitalised patients with COVID-19. Small studies have shown that patients who receive this antibody-rich plasma get better faster and have less chance of dying.

You could be part of this potentially life-saving trial. Each donation can be used to treat up to two patients, and donors can donate every 14 days. Just think how many lives YOU can help save! 

In order to donate your plasma, you must have fully recovered, be between the ages of 18-65 years, weigh 55kg, be male or a female who has never been pregnant and generally be in good health. 

To see if you are eligible to participate in our trial and for further information please visit our website: SANBS

Alternatively, you can contact:

Sr Cynthia Nyoni

Cell: 082 553 9041 Tel: 011 761 9279 

Marion Vermeulen

Cell: 082 419 0427 Tel: 011 761 9200

Safety measures at our donor centres: 

The SANBS continues to hold the position that, with the necessary precautions in place, it is safe to donate blood during the COVID-19 outbreak. Protocols for assessing donors and cleaning our donor centres are extremely robust and we are prepared. We are taking additional measures to better protect anyone who comes through our doors.

 Safety measures: 

• Enhanced frequency of cleaning of all equipment and surfaces.
• Active wellness screening before individuals enter the building and at their first point of contact when they enter.
• Donor beds thoroughly cleaned after each use.
• When on donation beds or on a waiting chair, donors will be at a minimum of two meters apart.
• Employees are wearing PPE, which includes face-masks, visors and hand gloves as an added measure for protection against infection.

 

How are our employees being screened in donor centres?

We are currently following the advice from the NICD to ensure, to the best of our ability, that employees who work in our donor centres are healthy. We are taking a number of proactive steps to limit the risk of infection to our donors and staff.

Employees are being asked to monitor their health and not report to work if they are feeling unwell or have come into contact with someone who is diagnosed with COVID-19.

Like donors, employees are subject to two active wellness checkpoints upon entry into donor centres where instructions such as hand sanitising are mandatory.

Employees and donors are required to observe NICD guidance to self-isolate for 14 days if they show symptoms of infection.

DONOR CENTRES :

Port Elizabeth Blood Donor Centre Tel: 041 391 8212

Provincial Hospital Grounds, Buckingham Road, Mount Croix, PE

Mon – Fri 08:00-17:00

Sat 08:00-14:00

 Walker Drive Blood Donor Centre Tel: 041 391 8286

Walker Drive Shopping Centre, Sherwood, PE

Mon – Fri 08:00-17:00

Sat 08:00-14:00

Sun 09:00-13:00

 East London Blood Donor Centre Tel: 043 704 8240

Collonade Centre, Deveraux Avenue, Vincent, EL

Mon – Fri 08:00-18:00

Sat 08:00-14:00

 Beacon Bay Blood Donor Centre Tel: 043 704 8230

Beacon Bay Crossing Shopping Centre (next to Virgin Active), Beacon Bay, EL

Mon – Fri 08:00-18:00

Sat 08:00-14:00

 Queenstown Blood Donor Centre Tel: 043 704 8210

26 Robinson Road, Queenstown

ONLY open on Mondays & Thursdays 10:00-18:00

 Mthatha Blood Donor Centre Tel: 043 704 8260

Umtata General Hospital Grounds, Nelson Mandela Drive, Mthatha

ONLY open on Tuesdays & Thursdays 08:00-18:00