FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 7 MARCH 2024
The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) is excited to extend its operating hours amid an enhanced collection initiative ahead of school closures and the Easter festivities. The extension is designed to encourage donors nationwide, to make use of this opportunity to step forward and donate.
“We acknowledge that the current operating hours may be constrained for some donors who are due to donate or would like to donate for the first time,” said Siemi Prithvi Raj, SANBS Executive for Transfusion Donor Services and Marketing. “This extension comes at a crucial time for SANBS as we look to expand our donor base and increase blood collections ahead of school closures and the Easter period,” Prithvi Raj added.
SANBS is gearing up for this historically challenging period when schools close, and Easter rolls around. Since students comprise a sizeable ratio of the national donor base, school holidays have been synonymous with strained stock levels. SANBS will therefore extend operating hours nationwide from March 4 to March 15, 2024, to increase blood stocks. This allows donors flexibility to donate at times best suited for them. Most donation sites will operate until 19:00 on weekdays to accommodate those who cannot visit during conventional operational times.
Prithvi Raj added, “With the help of our donors, we will be able to collect sufficient Group O blood, which represents the universal donor – group O blood can be given to group A, B, AB or O patients”.
Visit www.sanbs.org.za or contact 0800 119 031 to find out where you can donate blood. Follow SANBS on X (@theSANBS), Facebook (@SANBS) Instagram (@thesanbs) and TikTok (@thesanbs).
ENDS
About The South African National Blood Service (SANBS)
SANBS is an independent non-profit organisation and one of the leaders in the discipline of blood transfusion. SANBS operates in eight of the nine provinces in South Africa (except for the Western
Cape, which the Western Cape Blood Service serves). It also provides crucial support to countries in the SADC region.
SANBS supplies over one million blood products annually and is rated among the top blood services in the world. This pedigree comes from world-class testing and collection protocols, ensuring that transfused blood is always top-quality.
The blood is processed into its constituent components: red blood cells, plasma and platelets; therefore, in principle, a single blood donation can save up to three lives.