DRK blood donation camps have been used up

Empty DRK blood donation camp: Red Cross promotes blood donations

31.08.2013

Especially during and after the summer holidays, the German Red Cross (DRC) is increasingly asking for blood donations, because after summer time the camps are empty.

Bottlenecks in the summer time
Headlines like „Blood donation: bottlenecks in the summer time“ Every year, they help to focus attention on an urgent problem. Especially in the summer holiday season there are bottlenecks in the supply of blood in hospitals every year. The number of blood donations decreases significantly. In the summer, the annual low comes. Consumption in operations and therapies, however, does not adapt and remains high. And that's why the Red Cross is increasingly calling for blood donations to save lives in an emergency.

Certain groups excluded
For first-time donors, they should be between 18 and 65 years old and healthy. The donors are examined by a doctor before taking the blood. Checked are blood pressure, pulse and respiration. In addition, various parameters were checked during blood collection and, if not yet known, the blood type was determined free of charge. As a rule, before blood donations, personal questions about sexuality should also be answered. Thus, according to the guidelines of the German Medical Association, certain groups of persons are permanently excluded as blood donors. These include, inter alia, people with frequently changing sexual partners, male and female prostitutes, homosexuals, prison inmates and alcohol, drug and drug addicts. Diseases such as hepatitis, HIV or syphilis are further permanent exclusion criteria.

Confidential donor self-exclusion
In addition, there are also temporary criteria that do not allow a blood donation. For example, a dental treatment has to take place several days ago, and a tattoo must be at least four months old. The donor must also weigh at least 50 kilograms. According to deputy spokesman of the German Red Cross Blood Donor Service, Heinz Kapschak, there is also the possibility of a confidential donor self-exclusion. You could decide whether your own donation should be used or not. „He could belong to a group of people who are permanently excluded from donating blood, and has at this point the opportunity to exclude the usability of his donation“, Kapschak explains. He also explained why these people even consider donating blood: „Especially in rural areas, there is often a kind of peer pressure. There you go with the club or bowling club for blood donation“ and adds: „In this way, we can enable people to protect their face. You do not have to expose yourself to others.“

One hour to save lives
After the questions and the doctors and blood check it can then go to the blood collection. The blood donor would be tapped 500 milliliters of whole blood in 15 minutes at the DRC. And after a break there is usually a small snack as a reward. Permanent donors should even donate blood until their 71st birthday. With medical examination and recovery break a blood donation takes about one hour. The German Red Cross explained that it took so much time to help people in need. And maybe to save lives. (Ad)

Picture: Bernardo Peters-Velasquez