O Unicamp Blood Center Donations of all blood types are needed. In recent weeks, handbag inventory has reached a critical level. Donations made in recent days have begun to alleviate the situation, but the management of the organization's collection service emphasizes the importance of continuing. The Hemocentro is responsible for serving 95% of the Unified Health System (SUS) in the metropolitan region of Campinas.
Blood donation is a voluntary act and helps save lives. At least three people benefit from each bag of blood. The drop in stocks has been worrying blood banks throughout Brazil. At the Unicamp Blood Center, which serves 63 municipalities in the region, the drop in donations reached 80%. The risk of impact on care raised the alarm among the Hemocentro team, who initiated actions to encourage solidarity.
“We were collecting less than a thousand bags per week and continuing to fall, with a distribution of around 1,1 bags per week. The Blood Center serves between 200 and 300 people per day. However, there were days with donations far below expectations. Last Monday, for example, there were only 60”, says the director of the Collection Service at the Unicamp Blood Center, Vagner de Castro.
With publicity actions about the critical level of stocks, there was a significant increase in donations from Friday, January 28th. The challenge, for the director, is for the wave of solidarity to be maintained, as data from previous campaigns indicate that the peak in donations is generally ephemeral. “It’s not good yet, but it’s already relieved. Normalization will depend on what happens in the next few days. Blood is not a product that can be obtained in a pharmacy, there is no synthetic product that replaces all the functions of blood. That’s why we need donors.”
Physical educator Rosana Mancini Vieira Balero, 31 years old, was one of the people who attended the Hemocentro in the last few days. “I had the example of my father at home, who was always a giver. I heard that stocks were low and that's why I signed up. I'm finding it very peaceful. It’s an act that takes little time and can make a difference in other people’s lives,” she says. She also remembers that, when donating blood, everyone can register to be a bone marrow donor.
Drop in donations
The drop in donations in the summer was already expected, as more people are on vacation. However, for Vagner, the pandemic context, added to the country's situation, has brought more negative impacts. “We don’t have a precise diagnosis of why this is happening now, but we imagine it is due to the socio-political and economic situation. People are worried about surviving, about keeping their jobs, and there is little room for altruism,” he notes.
Regarding concerns arising from the pandemic, he emphasizes that the Hemocentro is strict in its precautionary health protocols against Covid-19. When you arrive at the location, there is an outdoor space to wait for service. At the entrance to the Blood Center and at all stages of blood collection, hand hygiene is required. Chairs are also cleaned between each donation and control over the correct use of masks is strict.
To avoid crowds, donations can also be made by appointment. It can be done on the website https://agendamento.hemocentro.unicamp.br
Donations need to be continuous
The demand for blood is continuous. Accident victims, surgical or chemotherapy patients and patients with diseases that affect the adequate production of blood elements, such as sickle cell anemia and liver cirrhosis, among others, need blood transfusions. Therefore, donations must be frequent.
According to data from the Hemocentro, blood donation has advanced a lot in the Campinas region, but it still needs to improve. Currently, between 50 and 60% are regular donors. In the 1990s, it was less than 5%.
Approaching people in hospitals is a tactic still used in Brazil. However, explains Vagner, it is not ideal, as these are generally delicate moments for patients, family and friends.
“We avoid approaching people in the hospital, as it is an inopportune time, when there is a health problem and concern for life. So if everyone can dedicate that little time to donate blood, we will be sure that the blood will be available and that you will not have to worry when you have a health problem”, he says.
Luiz Galvez, 51 years old, is one of the Hemocentro's frequent donors. He donates platelets through a process called apheresis. “I donate platelets every month. The main motivation is knowing that I am helping several people”, he reports. The main beneficiaries are patients with diseases that impair blood clotting, such as leukemia. For this process, donations can be made every 15 days.
how to donate
To donate blood, you must show up at the collection point with a photo identification document. Initially, a registration is made. After pre-screening, in which signs such as blood pressure, temperature and weight are checked, an anemia test is carried out. Next, an interview is carried out in which the professional analyzes the screening data and other information about the donor. If approved, blood is donated, which lasts an average of 10 minutes. Finally, the exclusion vote is made and a snack is offered to the donor.
The basic requirements for the donation are:
- be between 18 and 69 years of age; blood donation candidates aged 16 and 17 are accepted as long as they have the formal and in-person consent of their legal guardian; People over 60 cannot donate for the first time;
- weigh at least 50 kg;
- be rested;
- not fasting; avoid fatty foods and, after lunch, wait three hours;
- do not smoke two hours before and two hours after donation.
It is not possible to donate in cases of a history of diseases such as hepatitis, syphilis and malaria, if there is exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, in case of pregnancy and other situations that can be checked here.
In case of flu-like syndromes, you must wait 10 days after the symptoms end. Regarding the Covid-19 vaccine, in the case of Coronavac it is possible to donate after two days. For other vaccines, you need to wait seven days. Cases of use of medications and treatments are analyzed individually.
For men, a 60-day interval between donations must be respected, with a maximum of four donations in a year. For women, the interval is 90 days, with a maximum of three donations per year.
The donation does not harm the person who is donating or the person who will receive the transfusion. “We must remember that each of us is a potential patient. Everyone is at risk of needing blood at an unexpected time. If you are well and can donate, the blood will be available when you need it. Solidarity and empathy help a lot in being prepared when necessary”, points out Vagner.
Donation Points
Donation locations and times are:
Hemocentro Unicamp – Rua Carlos Chagas 480, Cidade Universitária, Barão Geraldo
Monday to Saturday, 7:30am to 15pm
Mário Gatti Municipal Hospital – Av. Prefeito Faria Lima, 200, Parque Itália, Campinas
Monday to Saturday, 7:30am to 13pm
Sumaré State Hospital – Av da Amizade, 2400, Jardim Bela Vista, Sumaré
Monday to Saturday (except holidays), from 7:30 am to 12 pm
Hemonúcleo de Piracicaba – Av.Independência, 953, Bairro Alto, Piracicaba
Monday to Friday, from 7:30 am to 13 pm
In addition to fixed collection locations, Hemocentro also has a mobile collection service. There are two buses that run through Campinas and the region. The collection schedule can be checked here.
