“P.before leaving, remember to donate ”: this is the invitation that today, June 14, in the World blood donor day and the eve of the summer holidays, the national bodies that deal with dissemination on this matter, address everyone. Because, even in the summer, “every two seconds someone needs blood“, Say the estimates of the Ministry of Health. Donated blood is essential for people living with blood diseases, such as cancer, leukemia, haemophilia or thalassemia, and in cases of serious accidents, transplants or surgery. The World Blood Donor Day it will culminate in an international event in Mexico City.
Blood donors in (slight) increase
Based on the latest data Avisafter a decade, even in the presence of Covid, it was registered a 3% increase in the number of donations and 5% in members donors. And also the National Center of the Blood recorded in 2021 an increase in units of blood cordonal donations, despite the negative record of births.
The requirements for donating blood
To apply to become a donor you have to weigh at least 50 kilos and be between 18 and 60 years old. After this age you can be accepted at the discretion of the doctor responsible for the selection (if you are in favor you can continue up to 70). And of course, you need to have a healthy lifestyle. Eligibility to donate blood is determined by a physician through an interview, clinical evaluation and a series of laboratory tests designed to ensure the safety of the donor and recipient. A blood donation takes about 15 minutes. On the other hand, the plasma donation takes longer: lasts about 50 minutes.
The benefits for the donor
The periodic donor is subjected, at least annually, to in-depth checks: a complete blood count (red, white blood cells and platelets) with control of glycemiacreatinine, alanine-amino-transferase, cholesterolemia total and HDL, triglyceridemia, total protidemia, ferritinemia. But also tests to check for the presence of the virus ofhepatitis B and Canti-HIV antibody (against the AIDS virus) and antibodies against syphilis. In other words: donating blood also helps the donor monitor his health.
Inps indemnity for employees
The donation is free (the remuneration is punishable by law in Italy even if the tendency to give compensation to the donor is gaining ground elsewhere in Europe) but the INPS social security scheme offers some advantages for employees. Who is absent to donate blood is entitled to normal wages which correspond to the hours not worked.
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