Blood Donation Lowers the Risk of Heart Attack

Dr KK Aggarwal
Padma Shri and Dr B C Roy National Awardee
President, Heart Care Foundation of India 


Government policy should change from replacement donor to 100% voluntary donor, said Padma Shri & Dr. B.C. Roy National Awardee Dr. KK Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India. He said that it is possible that under the disguise of replacement donor a professional donor will enter into the system. He also said that under replacement blood donor system, a patient requiring multiple transfusions or outstation patients may find it difficult to get replacement donors. 

No blood donation is 100% safe, he further added. Diseases can still be in the window period and get transmitted even if the blood tests are negative. Sophisticated blood tests detecting antigens of the organisms are not done in the country, either the tests are costly or not available in blood banks. They are also not mandatory under the national policy. Donating blood reduces the chances of heart attack. People who regularly donate blood are healthier than people who have never donated blood. One should donate blood every year either on their birthday or on the Blood Donor’s Day.

He said that blood is a precious gift, which one can give to somebody unknown. It is possible that one unit of donated blood can save multiple lives.

More than 70,000 units of blood are required in Delhi every month. More camps should be organized by non medical associations so that the shortage of blood can be taken care of.