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It is not only food that is required during these times

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Source plasma is essential for treatment of multiple clinical conditions. Currently, South Africa does not produce sufficient amounts of plasma to meet patient needs. As a result, SANBS in collaboration with National Bioproducts Institute (NBI) have embarked on a program to increase collection of plasma in order to meet patient requirements for this life saving blood product.

Although anyone who meets normal donation criteria can donate plasma, the SANBS specifically need blood group A and AB donors aged 18 to 65 years to consider donating source plasma.

You will undergo the normal screening process for blood donation and once accepted, a high-tech machine is used, to safely and quickly collect your plasma. Your red blood cells, platelets and white blood cells are returned to you and at the end of the procedure, saline (sterile salt water) is infused, to compensate for the around 700ml of plasma the SANBS collect. The duration of the whole process is about an hour.

You can donate plasma every two weeks to a maximum of 24 times a year at selected Blood Donor Centres only.

Centres in Port Elizabeth can be found at: the PE Blood Donor Centre (PE Provincial Hospital Grounds, Buckingham Rd. Mount Croix, opp NG Kerk Patmos) open Mondays to Fridays from 8:00-17:00 & Saturdays from 08:00-14:00.

Source Plasma can be donated on an appointment system or a ‘walk-in’ basis. To avoid crowding at donation sites during Level 4 Lockdown, it is preferred to schedule an appointment. Donors are required to wear facemasks when visiting a donor centre as per government’s requirement.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.