​06/14/2018

Press Bulletin No. 073, 2018

 - According to the National Institute of Health, only 220,000 nationals donate blood in the country.

 Bogotá, DC, June 14, 2018. Within the framework of the World Blood Donor Day, the Director of Medicines and Health Technologies, Carolina Gómez, asserted that Colombia's challenge is to increase the blood donation rate. Today, the registry records 220,000 Colombians per year. "Promoting voluntary donation is our biggest challenge in the health system because more than 2,400 transfusions are being made daily that save the lives of children, mothers and the elderly," she said.

Director Gómez noted that, starting 2013, the Pan American Health Organization recognized the country's great advances in transfusion safety. "We have to strengthen the more than 81 blood banks in the country because this is a vital component to treat various diseases such as leukemia, anemia, surgery, cancer and other diseases."

In the last year, around 830,000 units of blood were collected throughout the national territory. 52.6% of the donors were men and 47.4% were women. 22.1% were regular donors (Colombians donating at least twice a year) and 77.9% were new donors (Colombians donating for the first time).

The provinces where blood is donated the most are: Tolima, Santander, Atlántico and Cesar and Bogotá DC.

"Despite our significant advances in medicine every day, it has not been possible to artificially substitute this component. That's why we stop and take stock of progress every June 14th, to summon Colombians to donate blood at least twice a year," she invited. The director of Medicines and Health Technologies explained that men can donate up to four times a year and women up to 3.

Safe Blood

Currently there are 81 blood banks in Colombia where voluntary donors can go any day to make their blood donation. Men can donate blood every three months while women can do so every four months. In each donation, 450-480 milliliters of blood are extracted and red blood cells, plasma and platelets are obtained from it, which can benefit up to three people.

It is important to take into account that each unit of donated blood is tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Syphilis, Chagas and Human T-lymphotropic Virus (HTLV9. Once these tests are done, the blood bank discards the units that tested positive for any of those infections.

Recommendations for Donors

Donating blood also benefits the donor because it stimulates new blood cell production that allows oxygenation of organs and tissues. There is no truth to the fact that after donating, people get fat, weaken or acquire diseases, because the donation process is safe.

To be a donor, you must:

• Be over 18 and under 65
• Have your identity document with you (citizenship or alien card)
• Weigh more than 110 pounds
• Not have had sexually transmitted diseases or be suspect of being a carrier
• Not have had cancer, or have heart or lung disease
• Not have had surgeries, transfusions, tattoos or piercings in the past 12 months
• Not have had dental treatment in the past 7 days
• Not have infections or currently be in treatments with antibiotics, antiparasitic drugs or antivirals
• Not be fasting
• Pass a minor medical exam that includes: taking blood pressure, determination of hemoglobin level, weight verification, questionnaire with health questions