Until Saturday September 16, the French blood establishment opens its doors to visitors for heritage days. The opportunity to understand the need to find donors.
On the occasion of heritage days, the French blood establishment opens its doors to visitors. The opportunity to discover a little behind the scenes and the journey of a blood bag. To meet the needs in France, 10,000 donations are needed every day. And the long summer months have depleted stocks. “Stocks are under pressure after this summer period, it is a period when donors go on vacation and there are a little fewer collections.”, explains Mélanie Chesnais, the person responsible for samples for Vienne.
Blood Donation Collection • © Marine Nadal, France Télévisions
4,000 bags of blood, plasma or platelets each week
The Poitiers collection center processes around 4,000 bags of blood, plasma or platelets each week. Once collected, the blood passes to a laboratory where each bag is checked, a procedure that lasts 24 hours before the bag is distributed. “If we really need blood, a bag that is treated today can leave tomorrow morning for delivery” explains Alexandre Millasseau, team leader in the preparation department.
Blood bags which will be distributed in hospitals in the region • © Marine Nadal, France Télévisions
And the need for blood is multiple. Several services may need it, such as emergencies, obstetrics, surgery, etc. Nina Morin, who visits the blood sampling center, works at the University Hospital in a department that has a large need for blood. the patients in my department, they have cancers, hemopathic diseases, blood cancers and these patients need transfusion every day or every two days and that’s all the patients in the department, so we need a very high stock. therefore.”
Donating blood doesn’t take very long. It takes an hour counting wide. When you show up, we check your identity, if you have made an appointment and we give you a health questionnaire which you must complete. This includes knowing, for example, whether you have consulted a cardiologist, whether you have been hospitalized or operated on, whether you have traveled to certain countries, whether you have ever been transfused or whether you have ever used drugs intravenously.
Blood donation in Poitiers • © Luc Barré – France Télévisions
Once the questionnaire is completed, it is sent to the doctor or nurse who will see you for around ten minutes. This involves detecting a contraindication.
You then go to the sampling room. If you donate blood, the collection takes around ten minutes. If you give blood plasma, it takes a little longer, allow between 30 minutes and an hour, finally if you give your platelets, you will have to be released between 1 hour 30 minutes and 2 hours.
Poitiers sampling center • © Marine Nadal, France Télévisions
Once the sample has been taken, you go to a dining room where you can (must) eat and drink whatever the time of day. This moment is very important, it helps to avoid possible discomfort, you will stay there for around twenty minutes.
Even though the blood volume is replenished quickly, it is advisable not to engage in strenuous sporting activity in the hours following your donation.
Last recommendation, if within 15 days of donating blood, you suffer from fever or signs of infection, contact the collection center.
If you wish to donate blood, you can make an appointment at the donation center in Poitiers, Niort or Angoulême at 0 800 74 41 00 and in La Rochelle at 05 46 28 92 92.
You can also do so on September 22 and 23 at Place du Maréchal Leclerc in Poitiers by reserving on the site www.monrendezvousdondusang.fr.
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