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Types of donors
Voluntary donor is a person who gives blood, plasma or component freely and voluntarily without receiving payment in the form of money or a substitute for money but only for internally generated sense of altruism or community responsibility
 
There are different types of blood donors
They can be categorized as
1 Paid donors
2 Professional donors
3 Captive donors
4 Family replacement donors
5 Fringe motivated voluntary donors
6 Altruistic donors
7 Directed donors
8 Autologous donors
9 Aphaeresis donors.

In India, first 3 types of blood donors are banned by the government order after Supreme Court’s intervention. Voluntary or Altruistic donations are most desirable for any society to ensure safe and consistent blood supply.


Commercial or paid donor who gives blood in return for money or other form of payment in terms of direct exchange of cash or kind. These donors are usually not healthy, are often anemic and at risk of transfusion- transmissible infections (TTI).
Professional donors are donating blood on a regular, registered, semi-permanent or semi-salaried basis and for the same they may be paid on a unit-fee basis or monthly or weekly.
 
Captive donors are those who donate blood under the pressure by the superiors or reporting officers, some times for the benefit of cash or kind. Jail inmates could come under this category. These types of donors are not as safe because they are under pressure to donate blood. They might hide the medical history.
 

Family or family replacement donors are donating blood in need of their relatives or friends and these types of donations are usually under compulsion. They may not be of the same group of the patient but they are under pressure for the same number of units of blood as of patient’s requirement.

Fringe motivated voluntary donors are voluntary donors but motivated by fringe benefit attached to voluntary donation like day off, small gifts, good food after donation.

Altruistic donors are those who give blood, plasma or other blood components voluntarily without receiving payment in the form of money or a substitute for money.

Directed donors are those who donate specifically for transfusion to a particular relative or friend. The donor and patient blood group should be similar. Directed donors are a type of replacement donors but here the same unit of blood is given to the designated person after following proper testing protocol.

Autologous donation is the process where the patient himself/herself donates blood for self. The same unit can be transfused. Autologous donation has few added advantages of easy availability on shelf during period of demand, safety from TTI, useful in case of rare blood group and no chance of getting alloimmunization.

Apheresis is the procedure in which whole blood is collected from a donor or patient, separated into components, one or more of which is retained and the remaining elements are then returned to the person. The entire process is done thorugh an advanced equipment in a comfortable environment. Apheresis units can reduce multible donor exposure to the patient who is in regular need of blood components. By Apheresis procedure there is possibility of HLA matched donor unit in case of multiply transfused patient. Definitive risk groups of blood donors have been well defined and it is generally believed that safe donors are those who report behavioral risk factors and whose donations are repeatedly negative on screening.
What is Aphaeresis?
 
Though most blood is donated as whole blood, it is also possible to donate only a portion of blood using a technique called “Aphaeresis”. During the apheresis donation, we draw blood from the donor’s vein through a sterile tube into a cell-separator machine. The machine spins the blood (called centrifugation) to separate the needed component-platelets/plasma/red cells, and then returns the remaining components to the donor in the same vain or other arm. By appropriately adjusting the instrument, a selected portion of the blood such as platelets can be recovered.Patients with cancer or leukemia, transplant patients, and people with blood disorders such as aplastic anemia, benefit from platelet transfusions.  During chemotherapy and radiation treatment, both cancer cells and
platelets are destroyed.  Many of these patients need platelet transfusions to prevent uncontrolled bleeding.While this process takes slightly more time than a regular whole blood donation, such donations are completely safe. It takes approximately one hour for a plasma donation and approximately two hours for a platelet donation. Prathama has latest equipments to support such donations.
Needle, tubing, and collection bags in the machine are sterile and discarded after each donation. Experienced staff closely supervises the procedure and take readings from time to time. Donors can watch television or videos, listen to music, read books during the donation process.
The donation does not significantly decrease the number of platelets in the donor’s body, and the donated platelets are replaced in approximately two days. Platelet donors can donate every two days and up to 24 times a year.  If donors alternate between donating platelets and whole blood or plasma, the waiting time varies.
FAQ Blood Donation
 
Why Should we donate blood?

Blood donation gives, a proud feeling of touching someone’s life in such a beautiful way. Its an experience that no words can define. You have to donate blood yourself to find out. By keeping the blood line flowing, you will greatly contribute towards a healthier, happier society. Do remember, any one may require blood any time. Including ourselves and our dear ones. You also benefit in other ways by donating blood. It reduces the chances of ischemic heart diseases (beginning of heart problems) as frequent donations reduce the accumulated and unwanted iron load from the body. Your blood donation will also get you your blood insurance from us.

Any side effects of blood donation?

No ! Not really. Do ask any regular blood donor about it. A small percentage of first time donors may psychologically feel a little dizzy but only for a few minutes. Our staff at the blood drive will ensure that your first blood donation is a happy experience. We are sure this will make you a regular blood donor. In fact there are many people who have donated more than 100 times in their life time.

If I get any disease by blood donation?

That is impossible. Only sterile disposables are used to collect your blood. These disposables can be used only one time. This totally eliminates any remote chance of catching any disease from blood donation.

How much blood can I donate?

Eligible donors (any body between 18 to 60 years of age and leading a healthy life) with weight above 50 kgs. can donate up to 450 ml of blood. Your body can replenish this volume within 24 hours. 
 
Why should I become a regular blood donor?
As you know, blood is a life saving medicine, which works wonders in certain medical treatments, and life threatening situations. It is an emergency medicine. Our society is today threatened by scarcity of blood. The only source of blood right now is human being.
This issue has got further complexes by professional donors, who donate blood for money. These donors have contributed towards rapid spread of killer diseases like AIDS, Hepatitis B & Hepatitis C in the society. WHO strongly recommends the source of blood as only from a regular voluntary blood donor. Your regular donation will go a long way in salvaging the situation.

What should I eat before blood donation?

Anything, but preferably something. Eating light snacks and a drink (nonalcoholic) before blood donation makes you psychologically more comfortable.

What exactly happens during blood donation?

Giving blood is a very simple and straight forward process. On arrival at a blood drive, you will be asked to fill a few details on a donor form. Your medical history will be taken by a medical personnel in an area which provides adequate privacy. We routinely take a small drop of blood to ensure that you aren't anemic. After you pass this simple medical screening process, you will be escorted to a blood donation area. The actual blood donation takes about 10 minutes followed by a little rest and refreshments.
What should I eat after blood donation?
Drink some liquid like tea, cold drink, juice, etc. to replenish fluid and eat some snacks. All this will be available for you at the blood donation site.

What happens to blood that I donate?

Your blood goes to a modern blood bank - Prathama Blood Center. Within 6 hours of Blood collection its processing starts at Prathama Blood Centre. It is separated into components viz. Red Cells, White Cells, Plasma & Platelets. These Blood components are made available to Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation Hospitals, Govt. Hospitals, Nursing Homes. Medical setups, which do not have blood storage facilities, send their samples to us for cross matching following which blood is sent to them directly. All this is to ensure fastest response to the patient’s need. This is how each time you donate blood you save up to 4 lives.
 
Why blood components?
In modern medicine there is no room for whole blood. Developed countries have switched over to blood components for more than 20 years. Unfortunately in India still 95% of the blood is used as whole blood. By making blood components, all the useful parts of blood can be used. In whole blood, platelets die and clotting factors become ineffective and the patient receives unwanted and ineffective components.

What you do for blood testing?

Automatic and highly sensitive Robotic blood testing set up is used to test each and every unit of blood for HIV Virus (AIDS), Hepatitis B & C virus (Jaundice) Malaria Parasite, Syphilis and also blood groups. Bar Code systems, fully integrated computer network, real time information processing makes our lab only of its kind in India. This lab ensures highest level of blood safety to each unit of blood. Thanks to robotic machines the lab technicians also have minimal contact with the blood, which ensures their safety from blood transmitted disease.
What care should I take after donation?
Eat and Drinks something before leaving
Drink more liquids than usual in next 4 hours
Avoid consuming alcohol until you have eating something
Don't smoke for next 30 minutes
Avoid climbing steps for next 30 minutes
If there is bleeding from the phlebotomy site, raise the arm and apply pressure
If fainting or dizziness occurs, either lie down or site with the head between the knees
Resume all normal activities if no symptoms occur
Remove bandage next day

How Costs are met?

Prathama Blood Centre is run on a “ Not for Profit” but self sustaining basis. There is a service charge levied on blood that is distributed. This service charge is essential for meeting cost of raw material, testing, processing, providing for depreciation and administration expenses. This will also give Prathama an opportunity to undertake fundamental research in the field of transfusion medicine. Meanwhile to take care of people from poor economic status, 50 % of blood components which go to municipal corporation hospitals are free or at reduced service charges. Prathama is committed to up lift the standards of blood banking and in turn the quality of Life of the common man in our society.