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Press Releases

Western Province Blood Transfusion Service (WPBTS) would like to re-assure anyone who is a potential blood recipient that the blood supply has in no way been compromised.

This is in response to a  media statement last week quoting that a number of members from the GLA have given blood and have admitted to lying on their donor questionnaires about their risk behaviour. Currently we are confident that the risk management systems we have in place will effectively detect any HIV or other virus contamination and there is no cause for alarm.

Nonetheless we urge all donors to respect the right of the recipient to receive safe blood by being entirely honest and transparent on their donor questionnaires. Any other response could be to the detriment of the potential recipient. Although every donation is stringently tested for HIV, Hepatitis B, C and Syphilis, there is a small window period during which tests cannot pick up the virus. Therefore there is still no substitute for donor honesty, which is why every donor is asked to sign a declaration, which states that the information they have supplied is true. Blood safety is a shared responsibility between the donor community and the tranfusion service.

"We are aware of certain misgiving which exist within certain communities relating to our donor questionnaire", said Dr A. Bird (CEO/Medical Director of WPBTS) "but these should be taken up with the National Blood Committee" .

WPBTS and SANBS operate according to international best practice. All the questions on the donor questionnaire are formulated with the intention of identifying risk behaviour which will endanger the blood supply. It certainly is not aimed at marginalising a group or community.

Issued by:

Marika Champion
Public Relations
Tel: 021 - 5076368
083-4114583