This article tell you everything that you need to know about blood donation

1. BLOOD DONATION
It’s just not CHARITY, its NECESSITY
If you ask someone, “What kind of information is most likely to be found in the newspaper?”
His obvious answer will be accidents. In almost every newspaper in India, as you open the
newspaper, news of accidents will begin from the first page itself and will continue in the
following pages. This is not at all shocking considering the alarming rate at which road
accidents take place in India. India is a hub of accidents. There are around 1300 road accidents
that take place every day resulting in 400 deaths. This comes out to be one death in every 4
minutes due to accidents. In most of the cases, patients die because of unavailability of blood
at the right place and at the right time. How to overcome this problem? The only answer is
Blood Donation.
One of the important fact about blood is that it cannot be manufactured. Hence, blood can
only be taken from people (that is donors). Human Body has around 5oooml of blood in their
body. Our bone marrow ensures that this quantity of blood in maintained by continuously
replenishing blood in the body. One of the important function of blood is to carry oxygen to
each cell of the blood to keep us alive. If the blood in our body suddenly falls then oxygen
cannot delivered to each cell and we die. Therefore, blood donation is need of an hour.
It is not just people met in an accidents who requires blood. Any person who has suddenly
lost recommended quantity of blood will require blood immediately. Hence, person who lost
blood during surgery, person with a disease like cancer or sickle cell anaemia etc. will require
blood. Little babies that are born too early also might need blood to stay healthy while they
grow.
Most of the people might be donating blood if there would not have been myths circulating
around blood donation. Some of the popular myths like giving blood hurts, blood donation
deteriorate your health, blood can be manufactured, one can never take part in sports after
donating blood etc. have placed a sense of insecurity in the minds of people. Scientists have
disregarded each such myths with proofs but because of lack of awareness, these myths still
concern people. That is why, India faces a shortage of 3 million blood units every year.
There are some basic eligibility criteria you should meet before you donate blood. A person
should be at least 17 years of age while there is no upper limit and you can donate blood as
long as you are fit (mostly 70s). A person who has received treatment for jaundice, rabies etc.
are not eligible for 1 year. A person with a tattoo, undergone major surgery etc. are not
eligible for 6 months. If a person ever had TB, asthma, liver or kidney disease are not eligible
for blood donation. A person with AIDS and a long term disease are also not eligible for
donations. There are many such eligibility criteria and donor must either see on the websites
or personally convey to the doctor regarding his health status before donating blood.
Blood donation is a quick process. Donating blood takes around 15 min, but the complete
process takes about 100 minutes. When you arrive at the blood donation centre you will be
asked to complete a donor registration form, which includes your name, address, phone

2. number, and various other types of demographic information. You will also be asked to show
your donor card or the type of identification required by the particular blood bank you visit.
During pre-donation screening, a blood bank employee will ask you some questions about
your health, lifestyle, and disease risk factors. All of this information is confidential. Next, an
employee will perform a short health exam, taking your pulse, temperature and blood
pressure. A drop of blood from your finger will also be tested to ensure that your blood iron
level is sufficient for you to donate. All medical equipment used for this test, as well as during
the donation process, is sterile, used only once and then disposed. Once the pre-donation
screening is finished, you will proceed to a donor bed where your arm will be cleaned with an
antiseptic, and a professional will use a blood donation kit to draw blood from a vein in your
arm. If you are allergic to iodine, be sure to tell the phlebotomist at this point .During the
donation process, you will donate one unit of blood; this takes about 15 minutes. Following
your donation, you will receive refreshments in the canteen area, where you can stay until
you feel strong enough to leave. Human body has around 10 pints of blood and 1 pint of blood
is taken during donation which is replenished either in hours or days depending on person to
person. Each pint of your blood can save up to 3 lives.
In today’s world, blood donation is not only a noble cause but also a necessity. There is a
strong need of spreading awareness among the masses regarding the importance of blood
donation. Myths of blood donation must be eliminated from the minds of people if you want
them to donate blood. To combat all this, National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC) was set
up with an aim of promoting blood donation among the masses. Not just the government,
NGOs have also lend their hands in the cause sensing the urgent need of donors in the
country. One such NGO that is constantly working to improve the odds of blood donation in
the country is prayaascorps. Through the Blood Donation Campaign, PrayaasCorps is
motivating people for donating blood by eliminating their myths, by spreading awareness
through nukkad natak, activities, door to door information etc. Because of the constant
efforts, their Blood Donation Campaign 2k17 in Jaipur saw a footfall for 300 people, ready to
donate blood for a noble cause.
We must volunteer in such NGOs to contribute our part in making our country blood surplus.
Let’s together make a country where people don’t die of unavailability of blood. Donate your
blood because your blood is very precious to someone’s life.
Kumar Kartik Jain
( Intern at prayaascorps)
About Author: I was born on 5th
Octuber 1995 in Gwalior (M.P). My father is a business man and
my mother is a house wife. I have one elder sister. I have completed my schooling from Gwalior my
graduation from SGSITS, Indore(M.P).
www.prayaascorps.com
About PrayaasCorps:
With a motto to stir and inspire the youth’s mind in schools and colleges for National
consciousness and work for the cause of society, this independent student organization was
formed in 2013 on the day of 12th
January. Prayaas-India, as it was initially called took up

3. the initiative of working for the elation of the people of the society in order to create a better
future and children who wish to serve our Motherland.