Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
South African Press Association - September 29, 2005
Jenni Evans and Staff Reporter
"I am glad the SANBS has been able to implement the new risk model for blood donations that excludes race within timelines that we set," she told reporters in Johannesburg.
This follows an uproar last year and an order from Tshabalala-Msimang that race should no longer be used as part of the systems used to determine if donated blood was safe for use.
"I don't have to remind you what happened to our president's blood... something unheard of all over the world. That was a difficult moment for all of us."
At a presidential visit to a blood donation site, President Thabo Mbeki's blood was not used because he asked that he not have to fill in the questionnaire asking for personal details and a medical history. Newspaper reports subsequently exposed the service's previous policy of rating blood from races other than white as a higher risk, which emerged in a labour hearing of an SANBS staff member.
The previous policy was based on HIV prevalence rate statistics.
Known as nucleic acid amplification testing (NAT), the new system identifies traces of genetic material of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus more effectively in blood than other methods of use.
"I can tell you now that as a matter of policy anyone who comes to donate blood will be welcome at the blood service. In fact we will welcome this change demographically," said CEO Anthon Heyns.
He warned that although the window period had been reduced, the risk was still not zero.
"We want to emphasise that this technology does not close-out the window period, it reduces it."
Overall, blood supplies were also safer, he said.
"People must not be concerned," he said.
He emphasised the importance of donors leading a safe lifestyle, and that doctors should consider very carefully whether a blood product was necessary. He also asked that people not use the blood service for HIV/Aids tests.
"This is the first time in the world that this model is implemented on such a scale with an automated system. South Africa can be really proud of that", Heyns told the Mail & Guardian Online.
The new method of testing also increases the price of blood.
"It is obviously done at a cost. The price of a unit of the most common blood, the red blood cells, used to be R651, with the new model this increases up to R791. This is an increase per blood unit of 20%."
The system, to be fully implemented on Monday, would continue to be fine-tuned as it was used.
"You will receive a quality product that is safe as is humanly possibly within the confines of science in 2005. It is something the people in South Africa can be really proud of," he said.
Race would still form part of the questionnaire given to potential donors, but this would only be as part of the service's aims of representing the demographic of the country in its donations, Heyns said.
The service's director of technical services, Ravi Reddy, called on the public to donate blood ahead of the festive season, when demand was higher than normal.
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