Blood donation process

When you visit Prathama Blood Centre or any of the Blood Mobile Vans to donate blood, you are asked to fill a ‘Donor registration’ form. This is your consent to donate blood at the blood centre. You are asked few questions by the Doctor on drive to assess whether you qualify under eligibility criteria to donate blood.

After filling the registration form you undergo a medical screening. Trained staff of blood centre will check your temperature, blood pressure, pulse & weight to ensure that you are eligible to donate. This is called Primary Screening. Once you qualify at primary screening, you shall proceed to secondary screening. Here your haemoglobin level is checked by Prathama’s well placed doctor along with your medical history. Once you qualify to donate you are straight away walk to donate.

In case you are deferred, you are advised to consult a Doctor from the panel of clinicians. Your will get first free consultation with the clinician and discount on consultation fee later. If you are deferred on low haemoglobin count, you are given iron tablets (15 days dosage).

It is generally advisable to take 5 minutes rest before you proceed for screening. Take glucose water with a pinch of salt. Relax for a while and proceed. Our refreshment volunteer will assist you.

Before the donation, a trained staff member cleans the area where it is punctured for blood donation. All supplies used in this process, cotton, bandage, including the needle, are sterile and disposable; therefore, it is highly safe to donate blood at Prathama. The actual blood donation will only take 5-10 minutes. In case it is difficult to track your primary vain (some times deeply located on arm) our Phlebotomist will reach for secondary vain. Here the blood flow could be little slow. Entire process may however take 30 to 35 minutes where you donate 1 unit of blood. You find yourself quite exited.

After your donation, lay on bed for few minutes. Rise slowly and reach to our refreshment area, where our volunteers will provide you with refreshment to replenish the sugar and fluids in your body. It is advisable to take light refreshment after the donation. Take more liquids if possible.