Blood donation: A life saving act

World Blood Donor Day is observed every year to spread awareness about the need for safe blood transfusion, set up proper health care systems, and thank blood donors for their life-saving act.

Donating blood is one of the most generous and compassionate human gestures that I can ever think of because it can save many lives. World Blood Donor Day is observed every year to spread awareness about the need for safe blood transfusion, set up proper health care systems, and thank blood donors for their life-saving act.

Who needs blood transfusion?

People who undergo major surgical procedures, serious injuries that cause blood loss, anemia, leukemia, hemophilia, treatment for various types of cancer that slows down blood cell production etc. need blood transfusion.

Facts a donor should know:

A total of 470ml of blood can be donated once in every 90 days. There are four types of blood donations: whole blood, plasma, platelets and double red blood cells donation. Any healthy human who is 17 years and above can donate blood. People suffering from chronic and contagious diseases, undergoing treatment, pregnant and breast-feeding women, drug users etc. cannot donate blood.

Replenishment of whole blood happens in 90 days, platelets in two days, plasma in 24-48 hours and RBCs in 4-6 weeks. Eating food rich in Vitamin C, liver, spinach, kale, bread, cereals, milk, yoghurt, potatoes, nuts bananas etc. can replenish the blood faster. As it is rightly said, ‘no one has ever become poor by giving,’ so donate blood and keep the world beating.

Shakuntala Chadalavada

HOD Science, Middle School

DPS, Nacharam

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