Any healthy adult, both male and female, can donate blood once in every three months. Good health of the donor must be fully ensured. The universally accepted criteria for donor selection are:
- Age: between 18 and 65 years
- Hemoglobin: not less than 12.5 g/dL
- Pulse: between 60 and 100/minute with no irregularities
- Blood Pressure: Systolic 100-140 mm Hg and Diastolic 60-90 mm Hg
- Temperature: Normal (oral temperature not exceeding 37.5 degree C)
- Weight: More than 45 Kg
Health conditions:
If the following health conditions are present in the given period, then the donor is not eligible for blood donation:
Past one year: treated for Rabies, had Jaundice, received Hepatitis B immune globulin, had a tattoo, piercing or acupuncture, had a major surgery, received anti-rabies vaccine
Past six months: received blood or blood products, had a minor surgery, had a dental extraction, suffered from viral infections like dengue and chikungunya.
Past three months: donated blood or been treated for Malaria.
Past four weeks: had any immunizations with live attenuated vaccines like Measles, Mumps, Typhoid, Cholera, etc.
Past two weeks: taken any antibiotics, taken non-live vaccines like Tetanus, Diptheria, etc.
Past 72 hours: taken aspirins or steroids
Past 12 hours: had consumed alcohol
Present: suffering from cough, Flu, or sore throat, pregnancy, or breast feeding, menstruating, suffering from any illness of unknown nature
People with following heath conditions can donate blood:
Diabetes, if levels are under control with oral medication and no change in dose in the last 4 weeks
Hypertension, if levels are under control with oral medication and no change in dose in the last 4 weeks
Hypothyroidism, if levels are under control with oral medication and no change in dose in the last 4 weeks
Under following medications: oral contraceptives, multi-vitamins, analgesics (pain-medication), mild sedatives, cholesterol lowering medication, medication for PCOD, topical medication for infections or acne.
To find out the eligibility of the blood donors and to rule out any contra indication for blood donation all the donors will be elaborately interrogated for the history and the incidence of the specific ailments by a planned questionnaire. Only after satisfactorily fulfilling the laid down basic criteria, will the blood donors be selected.
After blood collection, as a routine and mandatory procedure, the donor's blood specimens will be screened for Malaria, Syphilis, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV 1 & 2, etc.
Who should not donate blood?
The following categories of people should avoid giving blood:
People with multiple sexual partners or those who are addicted to drugs.
People with any systemic disease like heart disease, kidney disease, liver problems, blood disorders or asthma.
People suffering from infections transmitted through transfusions like HIV, Hepatitis, Syphilis etc.
Diabetics on insulin
Recipient of any organ transplants
Ever suffered from any malignant tumor or cancer
Any history of epilepsy or convulsions