The Hindu Business Line : Retention of blood donors a must for effective transfusion service

A GOOD base of voluntary donors is absolutely necessary for establishing a blood transfusion service that is equipped to meet the entire needs of the country or of a region.

Survey results revealed by the surgicals major Terumo Penpol emphasise that building up a good donor base is not an easy task; retaining the donor base is still more difficult. To maintain a donor base, recruitment of new donors and retention of the old donors are absolutely essential.

There are people who do not donate blood after their first blood donation and remain one-time donors for the rest of their lives. Retention of old donors is as important as recruitment of new donors.

The reason is simple: These pools of eligible donors have already overcome superstitions, taboos and fear complex for donating blood and, therefore, their dropping out weakens the donor base.

The entire work of donor motivators or organisers is lost if a donor donates blood once and then does not return for future donation. Further, if the reasons for the dropping out of donors are not taken care of, they may in the long run adversely affect the donor recruitment drives.

The reasons for dropping out generally are: Negative reactions of the blood donation, such as blunt needle, painful venipuncture, double puncture, dizziness and fainting; lack of time; lack of communication from blood banks, NGOs and donor motivators; unfavourable location or time of the camp; unhappy past experience; bad handling by the blood bank personnel; non-availability of blood in time of his/her need; and wastage/improper utilisation of blood.

Donor retention cannot be overemphasised in these days of fatal blood communicable diseases. It not only significantly eases the work of donor recruiters but also regular repeat donors are safer than new donors.

Their blood would have been tested and transfused safely keeping all records with the transfusion service or the blood bank.

For any active programme for donor retention, the most important thing is the care and handling of donors. Public relations is the best tool available.

The blood bank staff must ensure that the donation process is a pleasant experience for the donor. Scientific donor selection, proper examination and testing instil confidence in the mind of donors.

In India it has been observed that retention of old donors becomes easier if the task of donor motivation and recruitment are in the hands of one or more well organised voluntary organisations rather than on the transfusion service itself.

Such organisations may have separate identity but should work hand in hand with the transfusion service with mutual respect for each other as an essential component of the campaign.

In sum, donors must feel wanted and appreciated if they are to return for future donating acts.

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