Why is it so important that I give
blood?
Many people consider it a right to receive blood
when needed, but don't often consider the responsibility of giving
blood to maintain the community supply for others. To meet patient
need, the Pakistan Blood Banks must collect over 3 million blood donations each
year.
Some areas of the country need more blood than they
are able to collect, while others can collect more than they need.
Most large medical centers transfuse more blood than what is donated
by the local residents. Areas with major medical centers and
hospitals which serve patients from all over the world always need
blood.
Pakistan Blood Donors Society has a nationwide system of sharing
blood donations based on patient need. Despite this sophisticated
system of sharing, there are parts of the country that have chronic
blood shortages. Those shortages would be eliminated if more healthy
people would give blood.
For our family, our friends, and for strangers in
need, we must share blood resources. We need more donors, and we
need donors to give blood more often. If half the people who donate
one time a year were to donate a second time, we would not have
shortages of blood.
Why do blood shortages
occasionally happen?
Medical advances have improved the treatment of
serious illness and injury. These advances have increased the need
for blood products to support a patient through recovery. Also,
"baby boomers", who make up the majority of blood donors, are aging.
As they grow older, fewer are eligible to give blood, yet more of
them need blood as their health declines.
Unfortunately, people do not donate enough blood to
keep up with the needs of patients.
Why is there a special need for
type O blood?
Type O negative blood is called the "universal blood
type" because it can be transfused to people of all blood types.
Type O positive can be given to anyone with a positive Rh factor.
In an emergency, a person may need blood to survive.
If their blood type is not known, type O negative blood is given to
them. When emergency situations such as car accidents or shootings
occur, type O negative blood inventories can be used up quickly. In
addition, infants who require transfusions immediately after birth
often need type O negative blood.
Does the PBDS pay donors?
No. All Pakistan Blood Donors Society blood donors are voluntary,
non-remunerated donors. They donate primarily because it makes them
feel good to help save lives.
Does the PBDS sell blood?
No. The PBDS serves as a conduit between a
volunteer blood donor and a patient who needs blood to survive a
personal disaster.
There is never a fee for blood itself.
How will my blood be used?
Blood is almost never used in its whole form. Most
patients requiring transfusions only need one or two of the many
components that make up blood. It would be wasteful and sometimes
harmful to give the patient blood components they do not need.
More than 99% of the whole blood collected in this
region is separated into blood components that can be used to treat
the specific medial needs of three or more people. Below are some of
the products derived from whole blood:
Red blood cells carry oxygen and are
needed by surgical patients or to treat those with anemia. Red blood
cells can also be washed and filtered to prevent adverse reactions
in some sensitive patients. Sometimes rare blood cell types are
frozen to extend their storage period and help ensure that an
adequate supply is always available.
Platelet concentrates are fragile
blood cells that are an important part of the body's clotting
system. They are used to control bleeding in the course of treatment
of leukemia and other forms of cancer.
Plasma is the yellow liquid portion of
blood. It restores fluid volume in patients who have suffered from
shock and provides a source of clotting proteins that stop bleeding.
Cryoprecipitate is a part of plasma
that contains certain clotting factors found in whole blood. It is
used to treat clotting deficiencies like those found in people with
hemophilia..
Fractionation is the process of
breaking down plasma. When plasma gets mixed with certain chemicals,
proteins can be separated and processed into products that are
stable and easily stored. Some of the more common fractions are:
Albumin: used in the treatment of certain
kidney and liver disease. Because this product is easy to store
and administer, it is used in the treatment of emergency cases
like accident or shock vicitms.
Gamma globulin: contains antibodies and
is able to modify or prevent measles and other infectious
diseases such as some varieties of hepatitis.
Factor VIII: concentrates are used for
treatment of patients with hemophilia.
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