Every November 9, the National Voluntary Blood Donor Day is celebrated in Argentina in tribute to the Argentine doctor Luis Agote, inventor of the method that allowed blood to remain liquid outside the body and that blood transfusions were simple and safe.
It is called a “Voluntary Donor” to whom he donates blood at least 2 times a year, without waiting for anyone to ask him to do so, in a selfless manner and with the sole objective of helping save lives.
Irrefutable data that demonstrate the importance of donating:
• EVERY 2 MINUTES a person receives a blood transfusion in the country.
• TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, the victims of which are mostly young, require about 600 blood transfusions per day. During vacation time that number increases notably.
• ONLY 1.5% of the population donates in Argentina. It means that of 45 million inhabitants, JUST 670,000 people are donors.
• According to the WHO, to make the health system work without asking for replacement donors, the NUMBER OF DONORS should be between 30-40 per 1,000 inhabitants.
• Argentina SHOULD HAVE at least 1,350,000 donors each year. But they are only HALF.
• Of the donations received, only 35% ARE VOLUNTARY and altruistic. This is: people who come to donate blood without anyone having asked them to do so. For security, it is essential to reach 100%.
What if there is NO blood available?
Without the availability of blood, none of the following medical situations could be treated: Injuries and accidents, surgeries (emergency and scheduled), obstetrics and children, different types of anemia, cancer and blood diseases, patients with burns. Without blood available, lives could not be saved.
Who can donate blood and what are the requirements?
Most people between the ages of 16 and 65 can donate blood. It’s easy, fast, safe and without health consequences. All blood groups are equally valuable and necessary.
Among the requirements, the following stand out:
• Be between 16 and 65 years old. It should be clarified that according to the new Civil Code you can donate from the age of 16 and without parental authorization.
• Weigh more than 50 kilograms
• Feeling healthy when donating.
• Present an Identity Document (DNI, Federal or Provincial ID)
• Do not suffer from diseases that can be transmitted by blood.
• Not having had casual unprotected sexual contacts in the last year.
• No tattoos, piercings, body piercings, or surgeries in the past year.
• Hypertensive: even if they take medication, they can if their blood pressure is stable at the time of donating.
• Diabetics: can donate those who treat it with oral medication (if they use insulin, no).
• Hepatitis: those who have suffered from Hepatitis A can donate (not those who suffered from type “B” or “C”)
• As a rule, those who had hepatitis before the age of 12 can donate blood.
You should not do a fast: eat breakfast normally, with sugar, avoiding dairy and fat as much as possible.
Donating blood always saves lives and each donation helps up to 3 people.
With information from the Banco Central de Sangre Foundation
Caseros 1576, Córdoba. Tel: 0351 – 4807373/4882121
All doubts and queries can be evacuated through our Social Networks:
Facebook: Central Blood Bank Foundation
Instagram: @fbcs_ok
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