2024-05-14 14:22:21
According to NKC director Daumantas Gutauskas, doctors work every day without counting hours and energy, operations in medical institutions take place at any time of the year, so the need for blood has increased significantly at the moment, and the available supplies are no longer sufficient.
“We strongly invite everyone who can to visit the nearest blood center as soon as possible and contribute to saving lives. Free blood donation is the noblest form of humanity, because the blood donated by one donor can save up to three lives.
I invite both current and future donors not to delay, not to hesitate and to help now. Any of us can get a moment when we ourselves may need help from donors, so let’s not wait and start sharing kindness today”, says D. Gutauskas.
Despite the fact that more and more donors who want to donate blood come every year, and larger amounts are collected, the shortage of blood has increased significantly. One reason is the greatly increased need for blood in hospitals, the other is that donors who want to donate blood are not always able to do so.
“The shortage of blood is not only caused by the currently warm weather and the decrease in activity of the population, which is usually the case at this time of year. Quite often there are cases when, for example, a donor wants to donate blood and it turns out that the donation needs to be postponed due to too low hemoglobin or ferritin levels.
Another reason why donor blood is sometimes not suitable is that the necessary time periods have not passed after an illness or certain procedures when blood can be donated,” says the director of the NKC.
For example, two weeks have not passed since the end of symptoms of fever, herpes virus infection, flu or other viral illness. Also, four months after the donor got a tattoo, pierced a body part, had a surgical operation, endoscopic examination, acupuncture.
According to NKC data, in 2023 in total, there were slightly more than 40,000 blood donors, 72,300 donations were made, and more than 32,500 liters of blood were collected. in 2022 there were a little more than 38,400 donors who donated blood, almost 68,000 donations were made, and a little more than 30,500 liters of blood was collected.
NKC reminds that when donating blood, it is necessary to be healthy – blood donors cannot be people who have had or are suffering from malignant diseases, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), as well as other serious chronic or recurring circulatory or immune system diseases. If blood from such a donor were transfused, the patient would have a high chance of becoming infected.
Blood can be donated from 18 to 65 years of age: men can donate blood six times a year, women – four.
2024-05-14 14:22:21