FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We have approximately 5 liters of blood in our body depending upon our weight – around 70 ml/kg body weight. A healthy individual with Haemoglobin more than >12.5gm/dl can donate blood after every 3 months. The life span of RBCs is 120 days after which they are destroyed by our body. Then why not donate this blood which our body is going to destroy anyway. By donating blood we can save the life of a patient without causing any harm to ourselves. You should eat a light meal and fluids an hour before donating blood. Heavy and oily should be avoided. The whole process of blood donation takes 5 – 15 minutes. You should take plenty of fluids after blood donation. You are given light refreshment after donation in the blood bank. Before blood donation your haemoglobin and weight is checked. If found sufficient you are issued a blood bag and then you are made to lie down on a comfortable couch. Your blood is tested for HIV – 1 and 2, Hepatitis "B" and "C",Syphilis and Malaria. Testing charges are to be paid for all units whether on replacement or without replacement .It varies with the component required. No extra charges are to be paid for without replacement units.

Charges are taken for :

• Cost of the bag.
• Antisera used for group detection.
• Wells and reagents used for detection of viral makers during Elisa testing.
• Reagents used for antibody screening and cross matching.
• Cost for electricity and diesel consumption.
• Sundry expenses

Usually there are no side effects of blood donation. But rarely there may be a mild giddiness accompanied with sweating. This is usually harmless and can be managed by resting for some time. Some donors may complain of vomiting, if they donate blood after heavy meals. At a time only 1 unit of blood i.e. 350 – 400 ml of blood is taken out of your body. You can donate once every 3 months. There are many patients who require regular and frequent blood transfusions to sustain life. These patients do not have relatives or friends every time they need blood. Then there are cases of road traffic accidents and life threatening emergencies where blood bank has to issue blood without donation. Regular blood donation releases fresh blood into your circulation and makes you healthier. You also get happiness by saving lives. Your blood is separated into three components and it is also tested for 5 diseases – HIV – I & II, Hepatitis “B” & “C”, Syphilis and Malaria. There after it is stored at proper temperatures before getting issued. Cross Matching is the testing that is performed prior to a blood transfusion to find out if the blood of the donor is compatible with the blood of the patient (recipient). Antibody is a protective substance produced by our immune system in response to the presence of a foreign substance called antigen.

• Diabetics on insulin.
• Uncontrolled diabetics, hypertensives.
• Suffered from Hepatitis.
• Undergone surgery – 1 year.
• Tattoo – 6 months.
• Pregnancy
• Lactating mother.
• Women during menstruation.

• Any healthy person 18 to 65 years age.
• Weight > 45 kg.
• Hb > 12.5 gm./dl
• Males can donate blood after 3 months and females after 4 months

You do not need to have a robust personality for blood donation. If your weight and Haemoglobin fulfill the criteria you can donate blood. Your weight and Haemoglobin is tested before you donate. People with more weight are healthier and have more blood to donate. Being overweight makes people less healthy. Overweight people may not necessarily have healthy blood to donate. You have almost 5 liters of blood in your body. Only 350 – 450 ml blood is taken which is replaced very soon. Hence, you will not feel weak. No, this is a false conception. No, blood is collected in a sterile environment using sterile blood collection bags. A sterile and new needle is used for each donation, which is then properly discarded. This makes it nearly impossible to get infected

• Giving blood is time consuming.
The time taken for a single donation session is normally not more than an hour or so.
• Being a vegetarian means that the blood does not have enough iron and cannot be donated.
Vegetarian can donate blood. The iron needed is taken from body stores and once a balanced diet is maintained, it is replaced after donation.
• Giving blood hurts.
The pain experienced is not more than a needle prick. Just a slight soreness may appear where the needle was pricked.
• Health is deteriorated after donating blood.
If you are healthy prior to blood donation, your body recovers itself in a day or two. It is advised to rest a while after donating. Drinking enough liquids replaces the lost fluid within couple of hours. The body produces new cells faster after a donation. All the RBCs are replaced within 3-4 days and WBCs within 3-4 weeks.
• You cannot take part in sports or other physical activities after donating blood.
Giving blood does not interfere with ability to perform physical activities. You are advised to avoid heavy lifting or strenuous workouts for the rest of the day.
• Taking medication means that one cannot be a blood donor.
Depending on the medication being taken. It may halt donation for a period, though in many cases it won’t prevent a donation. Medical officer in charge or the technician should be informed about the medication before donation.
• When there is a requirement. Blood can be manufactured.
Blood is not something that can be manufactured. It can only come from a healthy human body, producing healthy blood components.
• Being of a different race or caste precludes blood from being helpful.
Race and caste have no bearing on eligibility of being a blood donor. It is the blood type and group that is of importance.
• Blood donation can tell if one is HIV /Hepatitis B and C positive.
HIV antibodies can take months to develop after being infected with the virus. Those recently infected may have a negative test result and yet be able to infect others.this is called window period. It is better not to donate blood if one is at risk of getting HIV or other infections. There are Integrated Counseling and Testing Centers (ICTC) at all government district hospitals for people seeking HIV-related counseling and tests.
• "I am afraid of giving blood"
For everything there is a first time. Try it once.
• "Other people must be giving enough blood"
If everyone takes this stand, what will happen to the needy.
• "I am too busy"

One can always find time.
It is the busiest who find time to spare.

Frequently Asked Questions on NAT

NAT is a highly-sensitive method of blood screening that is used to detect human immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1 &HIV-2), Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV) in blood.

The period of time between initial infection and detection of antibodies is called the “window period”. NAT reduces the window period by direct detection of low levels of viral genetic materials

Present traditional ELISA screening tests require the presence of antibodies to trigger a positive test reaction. NAT detects low levels of direct viral genetic material before antibodies are formed in the body hence ensures a safer blood compared to the present screening methods (serology).

By asking for NAT tested blood I will be sure that I get the safest possible blood, free of lethal viruses like HIV-1, HIV-2,HBV, & HCV.

a. To ensure maximum safety of blood issued. b. NAT is the highest tested standards for quality of blood globally as on date. c. RSG IMA Blood Bank has introduced NAT and moved in tandem with rest of the world to ensure safe blood. d. RSG IMA Blood bank is the only stand alone Blood bank to implement and issue NAT blood in the State of U.P. and this is the third installation in U.P.

The additional few hundred rupees will ensure highest Safe Blood. Just costs slightly more than the ELISA tested blood but is many times safer. Some of the cost incurred is borne by the blood bank.

World’s safest blood till date is available in RSG IMA Blood Bank Bareilly.