As we all know blood is an important part of medical treatment. With the advancement of medical technology and the increasing number of hospitals throughout Malaysia, the demand for blood has also increased.
This is because, blood transfusions are very important for medical and surgical treatment such as heart surgery and organ transplants, thalassemia management, hemophilia, as well as patients with anemia.
Recently, the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) has uploaded a post on Facebook regarding some facts about blood donation for those who do not know.
Here are three facts about blood donation:
- As much as 450ml, which is less than 1 pints (586ml). Adults usually have about 5 liters (10-12 pints) of blood in the body.
- Red blood takes 4-8 weeks to replace and you can donate again after that.
- After donating, your blood will be tested to determine blood group, viral infections such as syphilis, hepatitis (B & C), and AIDS (HIV).
For those who want to donate blood, make sure you meet the criteria as a blood donor. This is very important because individuals who do not meet the blood donation criteria may experience side effects from blood donation such as headache, dizziness or fainting.
You are eligible for blood donation if you meet the following criteria:
- Healthy body
- Weight 45kg and above
- Have taken food before donating blood
- The last donation 3 months ago
- Sleep a minimum of 5 hours
- No health problems
Individuals wishing to donate blood should also not engage in any high-risk activities such as:
- Homosexual relationship
- Bisexual type relationships
- Relationships with commercial sex workers
- Exchanging sex partners
- Taking drugs by injection
- Being a type of relationship partner to the above group
Source: MOH