Blood Donation - Recipients

Recipients

We have seen in length about the donors it is equally important to know about the recipients as well. Very often persons requiring a blood transfusion would be fighting for his life. The following are the individuals who may need blood transfusions.

• A patient who was subjected to a major accident and thereby blood loss.
• A person who is ear marked to undergo a major surgery. For instance, an open-heart surgery may require about 6 units of

  blood.

• A woman going through childbirth or suffering a miscarriage may require large quantities of life-saving blood.
• Patients with hematological disorders such as hemophilia, Thalassemia, leukemia and anemias.
• When a person suffers shock, drug reactions, burns or poisoning, blood transfusion may be the way to save his life.

References

1. Donors who give blood voluntarily and for altruistic reasons have the lowest prevalence of HIV, hepatitis viruses and other blood-borne infections, as compared to people who donate for family members or in lieu of payment.
2. WHO Fact sheet N�279, June 2008, Blood safety and donation