Moldovans encouraged to donate blood regularly

The Moldovans are asked to contribute to saving people’s lives by donating blood voluntarily and regularly. A decade was launched in Chisinau to promote blood donation, on the occasion of the World Blood Donor Day marked on June 14. This year's theme is "A Blood Donation is not Enough – Donate Blood Regularly,” Info-Prim Neo reports. Svetlana Cibotari, the director of the National Blood Transfusion Center, told Info-Prim Neo that the campaign aims to sensitize the community to blood donations, which is a highly valuable act. Emphasis is laid on voluntary and regular donation. “The voluntary, regular and unpaid donation of blood means a thorough medical control that confirms that you are healthy, offering also the possibility of helping somebody that is suffering and needs blood,” the cited source said. Any healthy person aged between 18 and 60 with a minimum weight of 50 kg can donate blood. Specialists say that a person can donate by about 350-450 ml of blood a time. The body gets back this quantity very quickly. The liquid content of the blood is restored within 24 hours, while the figurate elements – during maximum 45 days. The quantity of donated blood does not make any harm. One person can donate blood once in two months, while blood components such as plasma – once in 14 days, Svetlana Cibotari said. Doctors recommend the persons that want to donate blood to be calm, have a balanced diet and drink a lot of liquid. The high fat food such as ice-cream, fried potatoes, rolls with roasted minced meat are not recommended. About 12,000 of the 75,000 blood donors in 2007 were voluntary donors, i.e. the blood was not intended for family members and fiends. The number of voluntary donors rose by 16%.