Blood transfusions; strategies to get more blood donors. (part 4)

Dr.D.INAIDO

June 28, 2024

Blood transfusions; strategies to get more blood donors. (part 4)

What are some reasons why people don’t donate blood?

There are many reasons why people do not or cannot donate blood. These reasons may include; (1)

I don’t like or am scared of needles; I am afraid to give blood. If you take the time (and courage) to make one donation, you’ll wonder why you ever hesitated.
I am too busy. It only takes 10 minutes to donate blood.
No-one ever asked me … I didn’t realize my blood was needed. The hospital always needs blood donations every day.
They are not my family. Patients coming in from remote areas who do not have family or friends to donate for them are among the most vulnerable and neglected in our hospitals, especially in the provinces. Our wards are full of such patients who need blood to recover or survive.
I donated once already. You can donate every 3months.
I don’t have enough blood. Your blood is checked before you are eligible to donate.
I don’t want to get tested for infections. It is in your best interest to know if you have any infections such as HIV, hepatitis or malaria.
My blood isn’t the right type. Every type of blood is needed daily to meet patient needs.
I am afraid I’ll get an infection. It is not possible to get an infection by donating blood. A new sterile needle is used for each donor and discarded afterwards.
I don’t want to feel weak afterward. Donating blood should not adversely affect a healthy adult because your body has plenty of blood.
They won’t want my blood. (I am too old. / I’ve had an illness.) If you have doubts, check with your physician. The qualified staff on duty at a blood drive will also review your medical history with you.
I have a rare blood type, so I’ll wait until there is a special need. Blood that is rare or special is almost always in short supply.

What are some strategies that hospitals can do to encourage people to donate?

PROVIDE RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO FACILITATE VOLUNTARY BLOOD DONATION.
ECOURAGE PEOPLE TO BECOME REGULAR DONORS AND GIVE BLOOD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
HIGHLIGHT THE IMPACT OF THEIR DONATION
- Become an altruist. Make people passionate about making a difference in the lives of others.
USE SOCIAL MEDIA AND DIGITAL COMMUNICATION
- Use this to your benefit! By incorporating social media and digital communication into your strategy, you can spread the word about the importance of blood donation, and help people become more involved.
OFFER INCENTIVES FOR BLOOD DONATIONS
- It can sometimes take a bit of encouragement to get people to actually show up and donate blood. Some small incentives can help.
- A small reward like a K5 gift card, a movie ticket, a free meal, thank you token or some other incentive like a raffle draw with prizes may help bring in more donations.
- By working with local businesses or organizations, you may be able to get discounts on these incentives, or even get them for free as a donation.
MAKE BLOOD DONATIONS EASY AND CONVENIENT
- Setting up blood donation drives on business houses, college campuses, near student housing, and in other areas is a common strategy used by most blood banks.
- Allowing donations to be done on the weekends.
- Allowing donations to be set up with an online appointment system can boost the number donations
CONNECT WITH INFLUENCERS TO SPREAD THE WORD
- Connecting with influencers like YouTubers, Twitch streamers, TikTok stars, Instagram influencers and bloggers can be a powerful way to spread the word about blood donation.