Gift of life: Debunking myths around blood donation and why it matters

"With every heart beat we live to see the sunset, with each drop of blood donated; another precious life will live to see the sunrise."

In a world where kindness is becoming a rarity, your one simple act of donating blood can save multiple lives. Unfortunately, the noblest of donations has a few takers because of a number of myths and fears.

As per World Health Donation data, in high-income countries, only 31.5 out of 1000 people donate blood. In upper-middle-income countries, it's 16.4 out of 1000, in lower-middle-income countries 6.6 out of 1000 and in low-income countries, it's 5.0 out of 1000.

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To understand why blood donation is important and to bust the many myths around it, WION connected with Dr Kavitha Sudheendran, Family Medicine Physician, Apollo Clinic, Chennai.

"Blood donation is an important part of global healthcare, with over 100 million units contributed annually. Blood donation is crucial for patients undergoing surgery, coping with trauma, managing chronic illness, and battling cancer," says Dr Sudheendran.

Busting myths about donating blood

One of the primary concerns that people have when it comes to blood donations is safety, and that giving blood can result in infections.

However, according to Dr Sudheendran, "For donors, it is ensured that blood donation is safe as using sterile single-use needles and equipment ensures no such infections can occur."

Furthermore, she said that the discomfort is minimal and donation has no long-term effect on a donor's immunity or strength.

"The discomfort is slightly noticeable, comparable to a pinch, and the entire process of donation usually lasts less than an hour, which means that it's fast and simple but with minimum inconvenience to an individual."

Another common myth is that people with tattoos are not eligible to donate blood. However, as per theexpert, "If your tattoo was made by a registered person, healed well and your condition meets the requirements,then after a while, which can range from 3 to 12 months as stipulated in the said laws, one can donate blood."

The lives you save

When you donate blood, it is separated into different components —red blood cells, plasma, and platelets —each of which can save a separate life.

Dr Sudheendran explains that red blood cells are extremely important for treating anaemia and supporting surgeries.Platelets are crucial for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or those with low platelet counts, helping to prevent excessive bleeding and promote wound healing.

Plasma, which is rich in protein and helps with clotting, can aid in treating trauma, burns, and liver diseases. Cryoprecipitate, a component of plasma, is used to manage bleeding disorders like haemophilia by providing essential clotting factors.

By donating blood, not only do you save lives, but it is actually good for your health. "Giving blood regularly is well-tolerated when performed in appropriate intervals (commonly every 8–12 weeks), which promotes good levels of iron for body functioning and is, therefore, conducive to an improved state of heart," stated the family physician.