Blood Donation – Frequently Asked Questions

Girls, these are few questions that comes to your mind whenever you think of or hear of blood donation. Just For Her is sharing with you FAQs about blood donation. Start below –

Why is it important to donate blood?

• Blood cannot be prepared or created artificially and is in heavy demand for health

What are the benefits of donating blood?

• Blood collected from one donor in one donation can save the lives of up to 3 people
• Donating blood gives a natural boost to the system for production of new blood cells
• The donor card given by the blood bank, can be used to claim blood at time of need

Who is eligible to donate blood?

• Healthy persons between the ages of 18 and 60 years, and with weight above 45 kg
• A person who has passed appropriate screening test by a doctor
• No recent infection or history of communicable diseases, such as jaundice, malaria or any sexually transmitted disease.

Is donating blood safe?

• Yes, needles and bags used to collect blood are used only once, and then discarded
• Precautions taken during the procedure make the spread of infection to the donor impossible.

How can I ensure a comfortable donation experience?

• Get a good night’s sleep the night before, and a good breakfast before your donation.
• Drink fluids like milk or juice and take routine prescribed medications ahead of time.
• Relax during the blood donation process. After donating have some juice, beverages and snacks.

What is the Blood Donation process?

• Pre registration before the event (if you are donating any camp organized)
• On the spot registration on the donation day
• Completion of declaration form
• Screening for eligibility
• Donating blood
• Refreshments and 30 minutes rest

Will donating make me weak?

• No, an adult human has between 5 and 6 liters of blood in the body. At time of donation, only 350 ml of blood is extracted, constituting only five percent of total volume of blood in the donor’s body
• This amount of extracted blood is replaced by the body within 24 hours.
• One can go about normal daily activities after donation, strenuous activity can be avoided for the remainder of the day.

Will my health history and test results be kept confidential?

• Yes, your health history and test results will be kept strictly confidential

How often can a person donate blood?

• Once every three months

How can you contribute if I am not eligible to donate?

• Organizing the blood drive, recruiting suitable donors, volunteering at donation sites, and by helping to make donors’ experiences a positive one.
• Reach out to the local coordinator of the blood donation drive to find out how you can contribute