Blood donation is a voluntary practice that helps those in need of blood transfusion due to some accident or illness. The most essential body fluid, excessive blood loss can cause an untimely death if the need is not fulfilled immediately. Hence, blood donation is a life-saving procedure.
World Blood Donor Day
14th June is observed worldwide, as World Blood Donor Day to raise awareness among people regarding the requirement for safe blood as well as blood products like whole blood. A campaign of WHO, this day is also marked by the heart-warming gesture of thanking each donor.
National Voluntary Blood Donation Day
Under the initiative of Indian Society of Blood Transfusion and Immunohaematology, since 1975, 1st October is observed in India as National Voluntary Blood Donation Day. Besides natural disasters and diseases, an unstoppable increase in road accidents is a major factor in India that necessitates the demand for blood. Thus, on this day, several camps are organized in our country to influence people to donate blood willingly.
Now, there are various ways in which blood donation is useful to humanity. Let us explore how.
Benefits of Blood Donation: Why You Should Donate Blood
Donate Blood to Save Lives
There may be different reasons behind the blood requirement of an ill person. Maybe he has met with an accident, has undergone an operation or is suffering from an illness like anemia. Your donated blood goes on to help this affected person in overcoming his critical situation and regain new life. It symbolizes a helpful and responsible gesture not only to the person in need, but also towards society at large.
Advantageous for the Body
Blood donation is not at all harmful for the body; rather the four or five liters of blood that can be donated every three or four months by both men and women ensures that you remain fit and fine. Firstly, the cell depletion that occurs due to blood donation, forces the body to produce new cells within 48 hours, thereby freshening up the entire body system. Secondly, the body is armed against a host of diseases ranging from liver and heart problems to even cancer. Thirdly, within just one or two months, a donor regains his lost blood. Thus, donating blood is in another way, a step towards revitalizing your body.
Blood Donation is the Sole Way of Obtaining Blood
Blood can neither be artificially produced nor can it be stored beyond a definite time. Amidst the three components of blood, plasma can be preserved for years, red blood cells can be stored for 42 days and platelets can be kept only for 5 days. Consequently, the rush for blood is always on the high in hospitals and the only way to meet this requirement is through donation.
One Donation Fulfils Three Different Requisites
Since three different components are provided by a single donation, three different people may be helped by it. Considering the millions of people needing blood every year, imagine how each donation is, therefore, precious.
It Stabilizes the Collection of Blood Banks
In India, where the annual demand for blood is 12 million per units, only 9 million units get collected through voluntary or family donations. Naturally, many deaths occur due to insufficient blood supply. To avoid such calamities, more voluntary donors are required. It is important to note that blood taken from non-remunerated blood donors is generally considered as the safest source of blood since it has a low incidence of Transfusion Transmissible Infections such as HIV, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, Malaria, and Syphilis.
Initiates a Preliminary Health Check Up
A person, before donating blood is subjected to a complete diagnosis by doctors and hospital professionals to determine the levels of iron, haemoglobin, cholesterol, etc in his body. This enables the donor to have a clear idea of the condition of his body. It is only when everything is fine that he is allowed to donate blood.
Who Can Donate Blood
You can give blood if you are between 17‑66 years of age, if your weight is over 50 kg and you are in sound health. Similarly, you cannot donate blood if you suffer from diseases such as cardiac arrest, hypertension, epilepsy or diabetes or if you have undergone treatment for malaria within the last three months.
Human life is priceless and thus to make sure that not a single life is lost due to blood shortage, take a positive initiative towards donating blood and give someone the blessing of life.