A total of twenty two (22) people availed themselves to donate blood in the first segment of the blood donation session held by the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) on August 29, 2020 at Sontonga Mall, in Katlehong.Out of the total amount mentioned above, five (5) people were deferrals and only Seventeen (17) people were drawn blood and within the seventeen there were only two people who are new donors and the remaining amount are recurrent donors who are already captured on SANBS’ database list.
The SANBS pleads with people to come in immense numbers to donate blood in order to save lives, as the number of blood donors is still severely low, healthy blood saves lives, the blood donated is used for cancer patients, obstetric and gynaecological cases, premature babies, and for trauma patients, and the organisation earnestly appeals to people to be active in this noble drive. Obstetrics and gynaecology are combined medical procedures that are utilised to aid complications that affect pregnant woman, combining medicine and surgery, wherein most surgical procedures donated blood is significantly needed ,even whereby people are involved in heinous accidents and blood lose occurs.One of the blood donors Londiwe Mahlambi (20) residing in Goba Section (Katlehong) adamantly emphasized the need to donate blood, “ As we all know people who are involved in dreadful accidents lose a lot of blood because of the injuries they sustain, this is not my first time donating blood because I know the importance of doing it, people’s lives are saved because of my action, I think more people should be vigorously participating in this programme, I believe more people can be saved if we donate blood in large numbers,” Mahlambi insightfully stated.Another donor Nelson Matshali (37) who lives nearby Sontonga Mall, in Siluma View (Katlehong) said that, “Since I arrived at this donating blood session what I’ve noticed is that few men are participating in this life saving movement, I think we should encourage more men to come and partake in this genuine drive, I think men have neglected playing the leading role in important occasions,”Mtshali disappointedly revealed.The next chapter of the blood donation programme will be held at Sam Ntuli Mall on the 5th of Septmeber 2020
