By Bongiwe Sipunzi
We are shining a spotlight on the incredible impact hospitals are making, not only by serving the community but also by hosting blood donation clinics. As medical institutions, hospitals know first-hand the need and importance of blood. From transfusing blood to patients during emergencies to treating chronic conditions like cancer or blood disorders. The role that hospitals play in acting as a vehicle to facilitate blood donation clinics, and in turn saving many lives, is truly remarkable.
There are various hospitals in the Western Cape. Ranging from district hospitals, regional hospitals, academic hospitals, and private hospitals. We have 102 emergency blood banks and eight staffed blood banks. You can find our blood banks at Groote Schuur Hospital, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Tygerberg Hospital, Mediclinic Vergelegen, Khayelitsha Hospital, and one opposite Paarl Hospital, as well as our Worcester and George regional offices.
Donated blood goes to our laboratories at our offices for processing and testing, and once units are cleared it is transported to the various blood banks. Doctors send samples of the patient’s blood to the blood banks, where our staff cross-match the blood, this is to ensure donor-patient compatibility. The unit(s) of blood is then ready to go to the hospital for patients in need. At our emergency blood banks, we keep stock of the O blood group as this is the universal blood group and can be given to any patient. The blood at our emergency blood banks is only used in emergencies.
Of all the hospitals in the Western Cape, 30 of them host regular blood donation clinics. Three of them are situated at hospitals with blood banks, namely: Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Tygerberg Hospital and Mediclinic Vergelegen in Somerset West.
Pyjack Mwamba-Kazadi, the Blood Bank Manager at Mediclinic Vergelegen, says, “We cross-match approximately 600 units of blood daily for patients in need. A big thank you to the hospitals for the great work that they do by hosting the clinics, allowing their staff to donate regardless of their busy schedule.”
We salute these hospitals for opening their donors and encouraging the public to come and donate blood. We hope to welcome many more hospitals to open blood donation clinics in the future.
