Your health check

You should give blood ONLY if you are fit and well, TODAY!

HIV/AIDS/Hepatitis

Frequency

KEEP BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS SAFE
Blood transfusions are safer now than they have ever been because we take such care with donor screening. All donations are tested thoroughly for dangerous viruses, but some viruses live HIV and hepatitis B and C cannot always be detected at the earliest stages of infection. In fact it may take up to a year between the time someone is infected and the time it shows up in the tests. This means your blood might not show any signs of any infections, but could still pass on a disease.
The chances of this happening are very small, but if there is any risk you could have been infected- please don't give blood.
This information will help you decide if you have been at risk.
If, after reading it, you are still unsure or need help, please talk in complete confidence to the nurse or doctor at the session. Or, if you need time to think about it , it is quite alright to make an excuse and leave the session without giving blood and with no questions asked.
Remember- you can't get hepatitis, HIV or any other infection by giving blood.

HIV/ AIDS/ HEPATITIS
You must not give blood if you think you have been exposed to the risk of infection by HIV/ AIDS or Hepatitis.
Every donation is tested for HIV and other blood borne viruses. If your donation gives a positive result for any of these, you will be informed and asked to attend for further confirmatory tests.

FOOD & DRINK
You should not give blood if you have not had your normal amount to eat, and plenty to drink in the past four hours.

AGE & WEIGHT
You must be over 18 years and under 65, to make your first donation. Established donors can continue up to their 66th birthday. You should weigh at least 110 lbs. Those who meet additional medical criteria may continue longer.

FREQUENCY
The absolute minimum interval between donations is:
Females- every six months. Males- every three months.

MEDICAL TREATMENT
If you are receiving, or waiting for, any kind of medical care please tell the doctor or nurse before donation. Some regular forms of treatment will prevent donation. Please do not donate blood if you have received growth or fertility hormone injections or injection of human pituitaries extract before 1985.

MEDICAL HISTORY
If you have had a serious illness, major surgery, or in the past year have been referred to hospital for investigation please ask to speak to the doctor or nurse for advice.

SURGERY
We cannot accept your blood today if you have not fully recovered from an operation or have not been discharged from follow-up by the hospital. If you have received a blood transfusion you should wait a year. Please speak with the doctor or nurse for advice.

VACCINATIONS
Please tell the doctor or nurse before donation about any vaccinations you have had within three weeks.

DENTISTRY

If you have had routine dental treatment e.g. extraction, you must wait 72 hours before donating. If the treatment was more complicated please ask to speak to the doctor or nurse for advice.

INFECTIONS

We may not be able to accept your blood today if it is less than a month since you recovered from having ,or being in contact with, an infectious disease such as measles or chicken pox. Hepatitis (jaundice) please ask to speak to the doctor or nurse.

PREGNANCY

We cannot accept your blood during pregnancy or within 12 months of childbirth. Following a miscarriage you must wait until you are fully recovered. If you received a blood transfusion you must wait a year before donation.

SKIN PIERCING
Ear, Body Piercing, Tattooing
(including semi-permanent make-up)

We cannot accept your blood today if you have undergone any of theses procedures in the last 12 months. Acupuncture does not debar you if carried out by a doctor of recognized acupuncturists within the health care system. Please speak to the doctor or nurse for advise.

Please let us know of you become unwell during the two (2) weeks following donation as this may mean that we cannot safely use your donation.

We apologize if we are unable on this occasion to take your donation for any of the above reasons. The staff on Duty have information on local sessions in the future, please ask them for details.

You should NEVER give blood if:

	You or your partner are HIV positive
	You carry the hepatitis B or C virus
	You are a man who has had sex with another man, even "safe sex" using a condom.
	You have ever worked as a prostitute.
	You have ever injected yourself with drugs even once.

You should not give blood FOR A YEAR after sex with:

	a man who has sex with another man (if you are female)
	a prostitute.
	anyone who has injected themselves with drugs.
	anyone with haemophilia or related blood clotting disorder who has received clotting factor concentrates.

PLEASE do not give blood if you think you need a test for HIV or hepatitis, or if you have sex in the past year with someone you think might be HIV or hepatitis positive. If you have doubts or questions, talk to the nurse or doctor.

NEVER give blood just to get an HIV test:

If you do, you risk infecting other people. You can get confidential HIV test from the GUM clinic at PHG Compound. This is a free service.

Who can I talk to?

If you are worried about HIV or Hepatitis, there are several people you can talk to, such as the doctor, nurse, or
the chief medical technologist at the Transfusion Centre.
Or you can call the National Aids Hotline at
592-2-37138 / 37139

The National Blood Transfusion Service is open
daily 8:00 a.m. - 8: p.m. Including Sunday's and public holidays
Tel: 592-2-54972 / 69022 / 70418.
E-mail: mohbb@sdnp.org.gy

THE NATIONAL BLOOD TRANSFUSION CENTRE
Georgetown Hospital Compound
New Market Street, Georgetown, Guyana. Tel: 592-2-54972

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