The blood reserves of negative types in the blood bank of the Salvadoran Red Cross are at zero, due to the lack of donors of this type and the difficulty of finding them, since this classification is found in a minority of Salvadorans who are around between 0.3 and 1%.
“You really need all types of blood, even the negative types, since they are so rare to get them and there are patients who need one or two units depending on their diagnosis. All blood types are necessary, but we have a lot of problems with negatives, ”said Jacqueline Cantarero, a CRS social worker.
According to data from the CRS, the prevalence of people who have negative blood types is between 0.3 and 1% in the following order: Orh-, ARh- are found in 1% of the population, while the type BRh- is present at 0.7%, and in the case of ABRh- at 0.3%.
«The AB- very few people have it, the O-, the B- and A- can help them, but a positive cannot be put to a negative. The negative can be put into a positive, but not the other way around, “explained the head of the CRS blood bank laboratory, Frida Candray.
In this lies the importance that there is a backup of blood units of this type, so that under any circumstance it is available for the transfusion that is required in the healthcare center where the patient is treated.
When asked about what would happen if positive blood is transfused to a negative patient ?, Candray stated that “If we put RH + blood to a RH- patient, he reacts by producing antibodies against the RH that we have put on him. Probably nothing will happen to him, probably; but on a second occasion, he will remember and react, clots are formed and the patient can die from thrombi. So, it is important that those who are HR- come to donate and keep donating constantly, “he said.
He highlighted that the prevalence of blood types is according to race, in the case of El Salvador approximately 62% of the population has an ORh + group, that is a great advantage, because it is universal for all positive groups.
A particular case of an O negative blood donor is that of Alejandra Menjívar, a 25-year-old young woman, who recently went to the CRS blood bank to make an altruistic donation.
«I am of a low blood type, for this reason I approached to donate to save the life of someone who has the same blood type. The process is easy and fast, the interview carried out by the medical staff before the donation is confidential, we must be honest in that part of the evaluation, since it is vital to guarantee that our blood will be used, “said Menjívar.
Similarly, he urged other young people to donate the fluid, regardless of whether they are a negative or positive type, the important thing is that there is a reserve of blood units available to cover the demand for this resource.
“I invite the population to donate, regardless of blood types, since we help other people; in addition, we do not know when we ourselves may need the blood that someone else has donated, “he said.
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