World Blood Donors Day - All You Need To Know About Blood Donation!

World Blood Donor’s Day marks the birth of Karl Landsteiner who categorized human blood into the ABO groups. This day is also when the World Health Organization spreads awareness regarding the need for blood donation. Donating blood is a noble act; you can make a tremendous difference to someone’s life by donating just 1 unit of your blood. If you are considering visiting a blood donation camp, then you might have many questions about the whole process. Let us discuss a few things that people need to know about blood donation.

1. The process of blood donation doesn’t take long - From the moment, you arrive until when you leave the camp, it will take merely an hour for the whole process to be completed. The actual blood donation won’t take more than 10-15 minutes. You will also undergo a medical test before you donate blood. And after donating, you will receive a nutritious food package to help your body replenish the nutrients it just lost.
2. Physical test before donating blood - A physician at the camp will run a few basic tests on you to judge if you are fit to donate blood. Your body temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure and body weight will be checked. If everything is normal, you can proceed to donate blood.
3. You may not be allowed to donate blood if - You can be barred from blood donation if you-

• Weigh less than 50 kg
• Have an infection
• Contracted the flu or common cough and cold
• Have a stomach infection
• Got a tattoo or your ears pierced after which you developed an infection
• Are taking medicines for a heart condition
• Your blood pressure or diabetes is not efficiently managed

If you are pregnant or menstruating, you can’t immediately donate blood because that might have a negative impact on you and/or your baby.

1. You don’t need to know your blood group for donating blood - Most people believe that they need to know their blood group before they donate blood. Actually, it does not make a difference. The blood you donate will be examined and categorized accordingly. Even if you know your blood group, for the sake of safety and eliminating an error that could cost lives, blood banks will not take your word for it. They will determine the blood group of the donated blood themselves.
2. You need to be of a particular age group to donate blood - According to the rules mandated by the World Health Organization, only people between the ages of 18 and 65 can donate blood.
3. There is a cap on how much blood you can donate - In one go, you can donate half a liter of blood which in medical parlance is called 1 unit. You can donate again after 3 months.
4. Eat before donating blood - Consume an iron-rich breakfast before you donate your blood. Focus on poultry, spinach, pomegranates, beans, etc. Avoid fatty or fried foods and ice cream. Eat at least 3 hours before you reach the donation center.

Pledge to donate blood from now on. Thousands of people need blood transfusion to survive.