Knowing the transfusion procedure, blood group could save a loved one
WHEN East African Legislative Assembly MP Bernard Mulengani took his pregnant wife for treatment at AAR health services, her condition worsened and she was referred to Mulago Hospital.
By Chris Kiwawulo
WHEN East African Legislative Assembly MP Bernard Mulengani took his pregnant wife for treatment at AAR health services, her condition worsened and she was referred to Mulago Hospital.
Unfortunately, she died at Mulago after her blood was reportedly mismatched with that of another patient. Gloria Kyasimire died on February 7, 2010 after a blood transfusion. But Mulengani says her death was occasioned by the negligence of Mulago and AAR staff.
He says AAR classified her blood group as B when she was group O. “AAR mixed up the blood samples. They marked the blood sample of another patient with the name of my wife,†Mulengani says of his deceased wife whom he said got antenatal services from AAR between 2009 and 2010.
He accused Mulago of failing to read records of previous births by the deceased in the same hospital and relied on the records of AAR.
Mulengani, who also accuses Mulago staff of refusing to accept his offer to donate blood to his wife and failing to stock blood, has since filed a suit in the High Court seeking compensation of sh542,018,700.
Who can donate blood?
Under the standard blood transfusion procedure, it is only an adult in normal health who is allowed to donate blood, notes Dr. Martin Nsubuga, the Nsambya Hospital medical director.
Nsubuga says not everyone can donate blood. He says when the need arises, a person can donate blood, provided that their blood group is compatible with that of the intended recipient.
“The donor also has to be tested for any illnesses before blood can be drawn,†he noted. When contacted for a comment about the transfusion procedure, Dr. Dorothy Kyeyune, the Uganda Blood Transfusion Services executive director, declined to comment.
However, sources within UBTS say compatibility may not be an issue as long as one can donate blood.
“Once someone has donated blood, one can get the type they want from UBTS in exchange with what has been donated,†the source reveals.
Therefore, in an emergency like that of Kyasimire, Mulengani could have donated blood, whether it was compatible or not, provided he was in good health.
Blood groups
A blood group (also called a blood type) is a classification of blood based on the presence or absence of inherited antigenic substances on the surface of red blood cells. There are four blood groups namely; A, B, AB and O.
Which group can donate or receive blood?
Blood group AB individuals can receive blood from any group (with group AB being the most preferable), but can donate blood only to an individual with blood type AB.
Blood group A individuals can receive blood only from individuals of groups A or O (with A being preferable), and can donate blood to individuals with type A or AB.
Blood group B individuals can receive blood only from individuals of groups B or O (with B being preferable), and can donate blood to individuals with type B or AB.
Blood group O individuals can receive blood only from a group O individual, but can donate blood to individuals of any blood group, that is; A, B, AB and O.
Who can donate blood?
According to Dr. Nsubuga, it is only an adult who is in normal health (free of any illness) that can donate blood and for one to donate blood to another, it has to be compatible.
Who cannot donate blood?
Nsubuga says the young, very old, sicklers, pregnant, hypertensive, diabetic, those with infectious diseases and women in their periods cannot donate blood, even if it is compatible.
Other categories of people who cannot donate blood include:
Persons with breathing difficulty.
Persons on antibiotics. They can only donate two days after treatment is over.
Persons who have had a transfusion. They can only donate a year after the transfusion.
Mothers cannot donate blood until six weeks after delivery.
Women who have had an abortion or miscarriage cannot donate until after six weeks.
Persons who have undergone an operation or sustained serious injuries.
Persons who have extracted teeth cannot donate until after 72 hours.
Persons with sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis, gonorrhea and HIV.
Persons with measles, mumps and chicken pox cannot donate until after three weeks from the day of exposure.
Persons with Tuberculosis cannot donate until two years after completion of treatment.
Persons who have used narcotics by injecting directly in the vein, even if it is once.
Persons with blood disorders.
Persons who have suffered a stroke.
WHEN East African Legislative Assembly MP Bernard Mulengani took his pregnant wife for treatment at AAR health services, her condition worsened and she was referred to Mulago Hospital.
Unfortunately, she died at Mulago after her blood was reportedly mismatched with that of another patient. Gloria Kyasimire died on February 7, 2010 after a blood transfusion. But Mulengani says her death was occasioned by the negligence of Mulago and AAR staff.
He says AAR classified her blood group as B when she was group O. “AAR mixed up the blood samples. They marked the blood sample of another patient with the name of my wife,†Mulengani says of his deceased wife whom he said got antenatal services from AAR between 2009 and 2010.
He accused Mulago of failing to read records of previous births by the deceased in the same hospital and relied on the records of AAR.
Mulengani, who also accuses Mulago staff of refusing to accept his offer to donate blood to his wife and failing to stock blood, has since filed a suit in the High Court seeking compensation of sh542,018,700.
Who can donate blood?
Under the standard blood transfusion procedure, it is only an adult in normal health who is allowed to donate blood, notes Dr. Martin Nsubuga, the Nsambya Hospital medical director.
Nsubuga says not everyone can donate blood. He says when the need arises, a person can donate blood, provided that their blood group is compatible with that of the intended recipient.
“The donor also has to be tested for any illnesses before blood can be drawn,†he noted. When contacted for a comment about the transfusion procedure, Dr. Dorothy Kyeyune, the Uganda Blood Transfusion Services executive director, declined to comment.
However, sources within UBTS say compatibility may not be an issue as long as one can donate blood.
“Once someone has donated blood, one can get the type they want from UBTS in exchange with what has been donated,†the source reveals.
Therefore, in an emergency like that of Kyasimire, Mulengani could have donated blood, whether it was compatible or not, provided he was in good health.
Blood groups
A blood group (also called a blood type) is a classification of blood based on the presence or absence of inherited antigenic substances on the surface of red blood cells. There are four blood groups namely; A, B, AB and O.
Which group can donate or receive blood?
Blood group AB individuals can receive blood from any group (with group AB being the most preferable), but can donate blood only to an individual with blood type AB.
Blood group A individuals can receive blood only from individuals of groups A or O (with A being preferable), and can donate blood to individuals with type A or AB.
Blood group B individuals can receive blood only from individuals of groups B or O (with B being preferable), and can donate blood to individuals with type B or AB.
Blood group O individuals can receive blood only from a group O individual, but can donate blood to individuals of any blood group, that is; A, B, AB and O.
Who can donate blood?
According to Dr. Nsubuga, it is only an adult who is in normal health (free of any illness) that can donate blood and for one to donate blood to another, it has to be compatible.
Who cannot donate blood?
Nsubuga says the young, very old, sicklers, pregnant, hypertensive, diabetic, those with infectious diseases and women in their periods cannot donate blood, even if it is compatible.
Other categories of people who cannot donate blood include:
Persons with breathing difficulty.
Persons on antibiotics. They can only donate two days after treatment is over.
Persons who have had a transfusion. They can only donate a year after the transfusion.
Mothers cannot donate blood until six weeks after delivery.
Women who have had an abortion or miscarriage cannot donate until after six weeks.
Persons who have undergone an operation or sustained serious injuries.
Persons who have extracted teeth cannot donate until after 72 hours.
Persons with sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis, gonorrhea and HIV.
Persons with measles, mumps and chicken pox cannot donate until after three weeks from the day of exposure.
Persons with Tuberculosis cannot donate until two years after completion of treatment.
Persons who have used narcotics by injecting directly in the vein, even if it is once.
Persons with blood disorders.
Persons who have suffered a stroke.