Before & During Your Donation
The questionnaire helps us check that you are healthy enough to donate on that day and that your blood is safe for a patient. Your health and circumstances can change between donations — for example illness, medication, or travel to malaria areas. Completing the questionnaire each time helps us identify any risks and keep both donors and patients safe.
Yes. It is a good idea to eat something before donating and to increase your fluid intake before and after donation. Drinking fluids helps your body replace the blood volume lost during donation, which is usually restored within 24–48 hours.
• Whole blood: every 56 days (about every 2 months)
• Plasma: every 2 weeks
• Platelets: every 4 weeks
The difference in donation frequency is because whole blood donation removes red blood cells, which take longer to replace and can affect your iron levels.
Yes. We aim to keep about five days’ worth of blood supply available for each blood group. When your blood group shows as 100%, it simply means we currently have enough blood for that day.
Blood is used every day in hospitals, and stock levels can change quickly. Regular donations help us maintain a stable blood supply so that patients always have the blood they need.
A whole blood donation takes about 30 minutes in total, including the questionnaire, interview with the nurse, and routine checks such as your haemoglobin test, pulse, and blood pressure. The actual blood collection takes about 10 minutes, during which approximately 450 ml of blood is collected.
Plasma donations take 30–45 minutes, while platelet donations usually take 1.5–2 hours.
The finger-prick test and the needle insertion may cause temporary discomfort, but the donation process should not be painful.
Each person reacts differently to the donation process. Most people will not experience any adverse effects, especially if they drink enough fluids before and after their donation. If you feel light-headed or unwell, we will immediately stop the donation procedure and assist.
After Your Donation
Your body replaces the blood volume within about 24 hours. New red blood cells are produced by the bone marrow over the following 3–4 days, while the iron lost during donation can take 6–8 weeks to replace. Iron tablets offered by WCBS can help replenish these iron stores.
If your arm starts bleeding, raise your arm and apply firm pressure to the donation site until the bleeding stops.
For bruising or discomfort, you can apply an ice pack, take pain relief tablets, or use Arnica gel available at our clinics.
Bruising should improve over time. If you are concerned, please visit one of our clinics for assessment. Although severe complications are very rare, contact our Medical Department immediately if you experience:
• Severe pain
• Difficulty using your arm
• Discolouration in your arm or hand
• Severe or worsening numbness or pins and needles
• Increasing swelling
• Pain, swelling and redness with fever
Our clinic teams are trained to make your donation as safe and comfortable as possible. However, as with any medical procedure, there is a small chance of complications.
Common (1 in 10 – 1 in 100):
Minor bruising at the needle site or feeling slightly light-headed after donating.
Uncommon (1 in 100 – 1 in 1 000):
Fainting during or after donation, a larger bruise or arm pain. Platelet donors may occasionally experience a temporary drop in calcium levels due to the anticoagulant used during donation. This may cause tingling around the lips or fingertips, muscle twitching, or spasms. It can be treated by giving calcium.
Rare (1 in 10 000 – 1 in 1 000 000):
Piercing of an artery by the needle, inflammation of a vein, or injury to a nerve or tendon.
These complications are uncommon, and most donors have a trouble-free experience. We provide this information so you can make an informed decision about donating blood.
Most people can return to their normal activities immediately after donating. However, avoid strenuous exercise and heavy lifting with the donation arm for up to 48 hours, such as carrying heavy shopping bags or lifting weights at the gym. It’s also important to continue drinking plenty of fluids.
Donor Eligibility & Health
Your haemoglobin (Hb) level must fall within a safe range before you can donate.
Whole blood:
Women: 12.5 – 20 g/dℓ
Men: 13.5 – 20 g/dℓ
If your Hb is below the required level, you won’t be able to donate that day to prevent anaemia.
Plasma donors:
12 – 16 g/dℓ for both men and women.
Platelet donors:
12.5 – 20 g/dℓ for both men and women.
Plasma and platelet donors may donate with slightly lower Hb levels because their red blood cells are returned to their body during the donation process.
If your Hb is above the maximum level, you may will also be asked to delay donating and consult a healthcare provider to check the cause. Common reasons include dehydration, smoking, or certain medical conditions.
Yes, if you are feeling well and your haemoglobin level measures 12.5 g/dℓ or more.
No. You cannot donate blood during pregnancy because your body needs its blood supply to support your baby.
You can donate 3 months after giving birth, whether by natural delivery or caesarean section, provided your baby is not exclusively breastfeeding.
If you are breastfeeding, you can donate 1 month after your baby has started eating solid foods and is no longer fully dependent on breast milk.
If you visit a malaria-endemic area, you must wait 4 weeks after leaving the area before donating whole blood. However, you may still be able to donate plasma during this time.
If you are diagnosed with malaria, you must wait 3 years after completing treatment and fully recovering before donating blood.
If you lived in a malaria-endemic country, you can only donate blood 3 years after leaving that country. If you travel back to a malaria-endemic area, the 3-year waiting period starts again from the date you leave that area.
This precaution helps prevent malaria transmission through blood transfusion, as people who have lived in malaria-endemic regions may carry the parasite without showing symptoms.
You do not need to tell us if you have had a COVID vaccination.
If you recently had COVID-19 or another flu-like illness, you should wait until you have fully recovered and have been feeling well for at least 3 days before donating. If you were prescribed antibiotics, you must wait 7 days after finishing the course before donating.
Blood Testing & Results
Your blood is tested for HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, your blood group, and your iron stores (ferritin).
Yes. If any test results require follow-up, we will contact you confidentially. Please ensure your contact details are up to date so we can reach you.
After your first donation, your blood group will be determined during testing. You can contact our Customer Service Department or ask our clinic personnel at your next visit to a blood donation clinic.
Iron Levels & Donor Health
Ferritin is a protein that stores iron in your body. Measuring ferritin shows how much iron you have in reserve.
WCBS routinely checks donors’ ferritin levels in our laboratory to help protect your iron stores. If your ferritin level is too low or too high, you will receive an SMS with your result and advice on what to do next. If your ferritin level is within the normal range, you will not be contacted.
If your ferritin level is below 15 µg/l, it means your iron stores are depleted.
You will receive an SMS after your donation advising you to pause blood donation and to share the result with your doctor. Low iron stores can be caused by factors such as diet, poor iron absorption, regular blood donation, or internal bleeding.
If your ferritin level is extremely low (below 5 µg/l), you will need to wait at least 6 months before donating again so that your iron stores can recover.
If your ferritin level is above 500 µg/l, WCBS will notify you by SMS.
High iron levels can be linked to conditions such as hereditary haemochromatosis, infection, or inflammation. You should share this result with your doctor so they can investigate the cause.
Depending on the cause, you may still be able to donate blood at normal intervals, or you may be enrolled as a therapeutic donor if regular donations are required to reduce your iron levels.
Iron is an essential mineral in the body. One of its most important roles is helping to produce haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body.
Iron also supports energy levels, brain function, and the immune system.
When you donate blood, you also lose some iron. Your body replaces this iron over time through the foods you eat.
Iron-rich foods include red meat, chicken, fish, liver, beans, lentils, spinach, nuts, apricots, and raisins. Some donors also take iron supplements to help restore iron levels more quickly.
Women and frequent blood donors may be more likely to develop low iron stores.
Once your doctor determines the cause of your high iron levels, you may be advised to donate blood regularly as part of managing your medical condition. This is called a therapeutic donor.
Your doctor will need to complete the required medical forms and submit them to WCBS to ensure it is safe for both you and the patient receiving the your blood.
For more information, contact Specialised Donations.
Low iron levels may cause symptoms such as tiredness, difficulty concentrating, reduced exercise tolerance, irritability, or unusual cravings such as chewing ice.
Severely low iron can lead to anaemia, which may cause dizziness, breathlessness, or fatigue.
No. Haemoglobin contains iron, but iron is also stored in other parts of the body.
Before donating blood, we perform a finger-prick test to check your haemoglobin level to ensure it is safe for you to donate. This test does not measure your iron stores.
WCBS offers iron tablets to help replace the iron lost during blood donation. Iron replacement tablets are only offered to donors who complete their donation.
Regular donors, especially women aged 16–50, may benefit from taking iron supplements. However, you should not take iron tablets if you have an iron-overload condition such as hereditary haemochromatosis or if you are allergic to the ingredients.
If you are unsure whether iron supplements are suitable for you, speak to your doctor.
WCBS provides 30 tablets containing ferrous bisglycinate, vitamin B12 and folic acid.
Take one tablet on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday until the supply is finished. Iron is best absorbed on an empty stomach and can be taken at night.
Tea, coffee, dairy products, and high-fibre cereals may reduce iron absorption, while foods rich in vitamin C can improve it.
Some people may experience side effects such as constipation, diarrhoea, heartburn, nausea, or dark stools. Taking the tablets at night may help reduce these effects.
Keep iron tablets out of reach of children. If a child swallows iron tablets, contact the Poison Centre on 0861 555 777 immediately.
Policies & Donor Information
This information helps us ensure both donor and patient safety.
First, it allows us to apply the correct haemoglobin cut-off during the finger-prick screening test.
Second, it helps us determine whether your plasma can be used to produce fresh frozen plasma. Plasma from donors assigned female at birth is more likely to contain HLA antibodies, which can increase the risk of a rare but serious transfusion reaction called transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI). To reduce this risk, fresh frozen plasma is only produced from donors assigned male at birth.
This information can help when closely matching blood for patients who need very specific blood types, such as people with sickle cell disease or complex red-cell antibodies. Certain blood markers are more common in certain populations, so donors from similar ethnic backgrounds may provide better matches.
Race is not used to determine who can receive whose blood. Compatibility is based on blood type and specific red blood cell markers.
Race information also helps WCBS monitor donor representation and ensure the blood donor pool reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. Read more.
Blood is donated voluntarily, but there are costs involved in collecting, testing, processing, storing, and delivering it safely to hospitals. WCBS is a non-profit organisation that operates on a cost-recovery model, so the fee covers these services, not the blood itself.
Blood is not automatically free for donors. The cost of transfusions is usually covered by medical aid, and patients treated in state hospitals are generally covered by the state.
If you are a regular donor and your medical aid does not cover the full amount, or if you do not have medical aid, you can contact WCBS to discuss your account.
No, this information is not printed on the blood product label, so hospital staff will not be aware of it. We do not ask donors to disclose whether they have received a COVID-19 vaccination.
Please note that you are entitled to refuse transfusions through the informed consent procedure if you ever require a blood product and have concerns about the use of blood from vaccinated donors.