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After Donation

Post donation:

Keep the strip bandage on for the next several hours; to avoid a skin rash, clean the area around the bandage with soap and water.

Don’t do any heavy lifting or vigorous exercise for the rest of the day.

If the needle site starts to bleed, apply pressure and raise your arm straight up for 5-10 minutes or until bleeding stops.

If you experience dizziness or light-headedness, stop what you’re doing and sit down or lie down until you feel better; avoid performing any activity where fainting may lead to injury for at least 24 hours.

Keep eating a well-balanced diet especially one rich in iron.

Ready to Help Save a Life?

Find a convenient blood drive near you and schedule an appointment to donate today.

During Donation

Day of your donation:

Drink extra water (or other non-alcoholic drink) before your appointment.

Eat a healthy meal, avoiding fatty foods like hamburgers, fries or ice cream.

Wear a shirt with sleeves that you can roll up above your elbows.

Let us know if you have a preferred arm or particular vein that has been used successfully in the past to draw blood.

Relax, listen to music, talk to other donors or read while you donate.

Before Donation

BEFORE DONATION

  • Haemoglobin level should be 12.5g/dl
  • Normal blood pressure
  • Weight at 50kg and above
  • Aged 16-65 years
  • Donor should not be under any medication
  • Donors should not have been vaccinated in the recent past
  • Individual suffering from chronic illness like asthma, High blood pressure are not eligible
  • Women are not allowed to donate during their menstrual period
  • Breastfeeding and pregnant women are not allowed to donate
  • DONATION FREQUENCY

Men: Every three months

Women: Every four months

Eat a nutritious, well-balanced diet with foods rich in iron and high in vitamin C.

History of Blood Transfusion

First successful human blood transfusion was done in 1818 by Dr. James Blundell to treat postpartum haemorrhage, later in 1900 Karl Landsteiner discovered the  ABO blood group system.

Approximately A total of 36 human blood group systems exists with 346 antigens which are now recognized by the International Society of Blood Transfusion.  The two most important blood group systems are ABO and the Rhesus (Rh) blood group systems which are used to determine someone’s blood group which may be A, B, AB and O, with +, − . Rhesus positive individuals i.e. A+ ,B+, AB+ and O+ poses Rh antigen on the surface of their cells while Rhesus negative individuals i.e. A-, B-, AB- and O- do not pose Rh antigen on the surface of their cells. The presence or absence of rhesus antigen does not mean presence or absence of a disease pathogen or infection.

For safety in blood transfusion, patients receiving blood must have their blood groups matched with compatible blood group from blood donors as illustrated in the table below.

Blood Type Donate Blood To Receive Blood From
A+ A+ AB+ A+ A-O+ O-
O+ O+ A+ B+ AB+ O+ O-
B+ B+ AB+ B+ B- O+ O-
AB+ AB+ Everyone
A- A+ A- AB+ AB- A-     O-
O- Everyone O-
B- B+ B- AB+ AB- B-     O-
AB- AB+ AB- AB- A- B- O-

Testing of blood

Screening of donated blood for transfusion transmissible infections

Donated blood is screened for Syphilis; Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV which can be transmitted through an otherwise unsafe blood.

Highly sensitive methods are used to screen the blood to ensure that the risk of getting an infection through a blood transfusion is eliminated

Only units that are found to be free from the above infections are transfused.

Blood is also tested to determine the donor ABO blood group as well as the Rhesus phenotype.

All blood donors are notified of the status of the four transmissible diseases from the donated blood and their ABO-Rh group for free after blood donation.

Blood Group Basics

Approximately A total of 36 human blood group systems exist with 346 antigens which are now recognized by the International Society of Blood Transfusion.  The two most important blood group systems are ABO and the Rhesus (Rh) blood group systems which are used to determine someone’s blood group which may be A, B, AB and O, with +, − . Rhesus positive individuals i.e. A+ ,B+, AB+ and O+ poses Rh antigen on the surface of their cells while Rhesus negative individuals i.e. A-, B-, AB- and O- do not pose Rh antigen on the surface of their cells. The presence or absence of rhesus antigen does not mean presence or absence of a disease pathogen or infection.

For safety in blood transfusion, patients receiving blood must have their blood groups matched with compatible blood group from blood donors as illustrated in the table below.

 

Blood Type Donate Blood To Receive Blood From
A+ A+ AB+ A+ A-O+ O-
O+ O+ A+ B+ AB+ O+ O-
B+ B+ AB+ B+ B- O+ O-
AB+ AB+ Everyone
A- A+ A- AB+ AB- A-     O-
O- Everyone O-
B- B+ B- AB+ AB- B-     O-
AB- AB+ AB- AB- A- B- O-

 

How Blood is Used

Blood and blood products have different uses depending on the patient’s/recipient’s ailment. KNBTS issues blood as Red Packed Blood Cells, Fresh Frozen Plasma, Platelets, Cryoprecipitate and Whole Blood.

Red Blood Cells

Red blood cell transfusions are used to treat haemorrhage and to improve oxygen delivery to tissues. Transfusion of red blood cells should be based on the patient’s clinical condition. Indications for transfusion include symptomatic anaemia (causing shortness of breath, dizziness, congestive heart failure, and decreased exercise tolerance), acute sickle cell crisis, and acute blood loss of more than 30 percent of blood volume.

Plasma

Plasma products available include fresh frozen plasma is recommended in patients with active bleeding. Fresh frozen plasma is indicated for correction of coagulation abnormalities.

Platelets

Platelet transfusion may be indicated to prevent haemorrhage in patients with thrombocytopenia or platelet function defects.

Cryoprecipitate

Cryoprecipitate is prepared by thawing fresh frozen plasma and collecting the precipitate.

This blood product is usually indicated for conditions like; Haemorrhage after cardiac surgery, Massive haemorrhage or transfusion, Surgical bleeding

Whole Blood

Whole blood, if available, may be indicated for large volume haemorrhage, such as seen with major trauma, requiring massive transfusion and rapid correction of anemia, coagulopathy, acidosis, and hypothermia

 

Barclays Bank Partners With KNBTS To Roll Out Countrywide Blood Drive

The Kenya National Blood Transfusion Service acting Director Dr. Josephine Githaiga receives the Barclays Bank of Kenya Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) representative Ms. Antoninah Moturi at KNBTS headquarters, Nairobi today. Barclays Bank of Kenya in collaboration with KNBTS will embark on a month-long blood donation campaign in over 30 BBK Branches in the country. The campaign that is expected to loop in staff, customers and members of the public is expected to garner over 1,000 units of blood before mid May 2018. #IkoDamuKe

 

#IkoDamuKe

PRESS BRIEF FOR THE STRENGTHENING LABORATORY MANAGEMENT TOWARDS ACCREDITATION (SLMTA) PROGRAM

Quality Improvement initiatives towards provision of safe and sufficient blood in Kenya

Kenya National Blood Transfusion Service (KNBTS) mandate is to provide safe blood and blood products equitably through a strong, efficient, and self-sustaining national blood transfusion service able to respond to the needs of the entire country. KNBTS is committed to provide consistently high quality blood and blood products. To achieve this, KNBTS is implementing a quality management system with a view to achieving accreditation to international standards.

Accreditation is an attestation that an institution has some verification of its quality and performance. ISO 15189 is the major standard for accreditation of blood transfusion institutions globally. Institutions accredited to ISO 15189 are formally recognized to be competent to provide reliable services. Implementation of ISO 15189 within KNBTS will result in significant improvements in the management systems and technical competence of its transfusion centres while the accreditation of its regional transfusion centres will improve services and ultimately the health of the patients receiving transfusion of blood and blood products in Kenya.

Accreditation of blood transfusion services has remained a big challenge in resource constrained countries due to the high cost of attaining and maintaining accreditation. To address this challenge, the WHO step wise approach (Stepwise Laboratory Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA)) was developed and is being implemented as an effective structured approach for implementation of requirements of ISO 15189 with graduated recognition of laboratory quality improvement.  The quantification of quality blood transfusion services enables progress to be measured and recognition of improvements motivates transfusion centers to continue on the stepwise ladder.

All the 6 regional blood transfusion centers based in Eldoret, Embu, Kisumu, Mombasa, Nairobi and Nakuru are enrolled in the SLIPTA process as they endeavor to be accredited.

The Strengthening Laboratory Management Towards Accreditation (SLMTA) program is a key tool in the SLIPTA process. This is training and mentoring program developed to achieve immediate, measurable improvement in laboratories in resource-limited. The SLMTA program supports laboratories by improving management and building preparedness for accreditation. The SLMTA program has unique features including use of a framework that defines management in terms of laboratory- specific job tasks performed by managers. It operates under the assumption that effective training is prescriptive, not just descriptive.

The program is implemented in a series of multiple workshops delivered in a 6- to12-month period with intervening site visits. Between sessions, active learning continues with laboratory improvement projects and supportive site visits. Because behavioral changes take time, implementing multiple workshops allows the changes to be planned, monitored, and sustained. This model also allows facilitators to assess the effectiveness of training and address any observed misconceptions or gaps in the next workshop or site visit. Site visits provide the link between the classroom curriculum and the participant’s home laboratory. These visits affirm and reinforce continuous performance of good laboratory practices.

A checklist is used to continuously evaluate the implementation of the program and to gauge the preparedness of the facility for accreditation. The SLMTA program therefore provides a comprehensive foundation to effect immediate behavioral changes and laboratory improvement.

KNBTS staff and management have already been taken through the first workshop and are currently attending the second workshop. These are hands-on, activity-based workshops which allow learning by doing and job aids provided to facilitate performance of the taught tasks. In between the workshops, the centers undertook quality improvement projects and site visits were conducted to help the sites as they implemented the projects.

It is anticipated that by the end of the program KNBTS will be ready for ISO 15189 accreditation and therefore move towards fulfillment of its mandate of provision of safe and sufficient blood in Kenya.

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