Wednesday, September 9, 2009

10 facts on blood transfusion

people always said that it is a value thing to donate blood..but, how can someone knows that the blood they are receiving are good or bad??

here are some facts that may helps donators and receivers
.
1
.
Blood transfusion saves lives and improves health, but millions of patients requiring transfusion do not have timely access to safe blood. Every country needs to ensure that blood supplies are sufficient and free from HIV, hepatitis viruses and other chronic infections that can be transmitted through unsafe transfusion
.
2
.
In developed countries, transfusion is most commonly used to support invasive medical procedures and surgeries like open-heart surgery and organ transplant. In developing nations it is used more often in pregnancy-related complications and severe childhood anaemia. As the demand for blood is increasing, blood shortages are common. More blood donors are needed to replace those that are lost every year due to ill health, retirement and relocation.
.
3
.
It is estimated that more than 85 million blood donations are given every year. About 35% of these are donated in developing and transitional countries where nearly 75% of the world’s population lives. The average blood donation rate is more than 16 times higher in developed countries than in developing countries.
.
4
.
Blood is collected in about 8000 blood centres spread all over the world. The average annual blood donation per centre varies from 13 600 in developed countries to 6000 in transitional countries and around 2800 in developing countries.
.
5
.
Voluntary unpaid donors account for 100% of blood supplies in 57 countries. Since the inception of World Blood Donor Day in 2004, 111 countries report an increase in the number of voluntary donations. But in 42 countries, less than 25% of blood supplies come from voluntary unpaid donors.
.
6
.
The average donation rate in developed countries is 38.1 donations per 1000 people. This compares with 7.5 donations per 1000 people in transitional countries and 2.3 donations in developing countries. If 1% to 3% of a country's population donated blood, it would be sufficient to meet the country's needs. But in 73 countries, donation rates are still less than 1%.
.
7
.
Adequate stocks of safe blood can only be assured through regular donation by voluntary unpaid blood donors, because the prevalence of bloodborne infections is lowest among these donors. It is higher among donors who give blood only as a replacement when it is required for a family and among those who give blood for money or other forms of payment.
.
8
.
Donated blood should always be screened for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and syphilis prior to transfusion, but in 41 countries (out of 162 countries reporting in 2007) not all donated blood is tested for one or more of these infections. Testing is not reliable in many countries because of staff shortages, poor quality test kits, irregular supplies, or lack of basic laboratory services.
.
9
.
Separating blood into its various components allows a single unit of blood to benefit several patients and provides the patient only that portion of blood which is needed. About 96% of the blood collected in developed countries, 66% in transitional countries and 40% in developing countries is separated into blood components.
.
10
.Often transfusions are prescribed when simpler, less expensive treatments might be equally effective. This exposes some patients to the needless risk of infections or severe transfusion reactions due to incompatibility of blood groups. Safe clinical transfusion practices are fundamental for transfusion to be truly life-saving with minimal risk.
.
.
.
so, for all who's kindly want to donate, please make sure your blood is safe to others..
.
.
credits: World Health Organization(14 June 2009)

No comments:

Post a Comment