The South African Blood Transfusion service operates a vital service at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospitals Blood Bank. Providing a wide range of blood products and other auxiliary services.
All blood donated is from voluntary donors of all racial groups.
The lack of knowledge and understanding of the importance of blood donation, and donating safe blood has led to a high number of blood donors in the local community being excluded from donating blood. An autologous transfusion programme was introduced at the hospital. This means patients can donate and be transfused with their own blood. The hospital requires approximately 2'300 units of blood per month, of which 4-5% are donated by the community the hospital serves.
The blood bank also provides ante-natal services which include blood groupings, Rhesus typing, identification and titration, irregular antibody screening and bilirubin investigations. About 12'000 investigations are performed per year in these categories. Approximately 30 units of blood are provided to new born babies for exchange transfusion.
A service is also provided to perform HLA "Tissue Typing" on all case requiring organ & bone marrow transplant and "DNA Typing" on all bone marrow transplants.
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