Travelling and blood donation

[louis]

Hi,

As I understand, you may not be eligible to donate blood if you have travelled to certain places in the recent past. Does anyone know where I can find the most recent list of "banned" countries as far as blood donation is concerned? For example, is Batam on that list?

Regards,

[sundar]

Hi,

Redcross site says: (see http://www.hsa.gov.sg/html/consumer/ctm_how_to_be_a_donor.html, under Travel)

Please inform the medical screener if you have visited:
1. Malaria endemic areas such as Thailand, East Malaysia, Indonesia, Phillipines, India, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam etc in the last 6 weeks
2. North America or Canada in the last 4 weeks
If you have visited the above-mentioned countries, you are still eligible for blood donation provided your weight is >51kg and your Haemoglobin level >13g/dL.

Travel to Europe [WEF 1 JULY 2002]

You will be ineligible to donate blood indefinitely if you fall into ANY one of the following 3 groups:

1. You have visited or lived in the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, or the Channel Island) from 1980 through 1996 for a cumulative period of 3 months or more.
2. You have received a transfusion of blood or blood components in the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, or the Channel Island) between 1980 till now.
3. You have visited or lived in France from 1980 till now for a cumulative period of 5 years or more.

You can ONLY donate plasma through apheresis method if you have stayed in Europe (besides United Kingdom and France) for a cumulative period of more than 5 years from 1980 till the present.

It looks batam, Indonesia is included in the list and one can donate after 6 weeks of return only.

regards,
sundar

[louis]

OK, thanks for that!

However, it seems as far as Batam (or Indonesia) is concerned, you may still be eligible according to that Red Cross link mentioned:


If you have visited the above-mentioned countries, you are still eligible for blood donation provided your weight is >51kg and your Haemoglobin level >13g/dL.


Cheers,

Louis.

[Oscar]

I was a regular blood donor until my return from UK (away for studies from 94-96) and was told to wait till "infinity" as the form prescribed as there were no indication as I may have MCD or not.

:cry:

i can comprehend the need to screen through and use healthy donation but i'm wondering if the clinic is doing anything to make this change? or its just going condemn us lots that happened to be there at such unfortunate timing?

infinity is long. but surely i can wait till then.

[Shan Xue]

Hi Oscar,

i can understand your frustration. i can't imagine myself being banned forever from blood donation.

the ban is not only in singapore. other blood banks in other countries also have the same ban. unless there are new discoveries that show how long the mad cow virus can stay in the body or it cannot be transmitted through blood transfusion, i think the ban is going to stay.