313876

Blood Donation Center

FAQ

Most of the Egyptians are eligible to donate blood at any given time, so there’s a very good chance you meet the criteria.


For most donations, these are the basic requirements:

  1. Good Health: You generally feel well, even if you're being treated for a chronic condition.

  2. Age: If your age is between 18-65 years old then you are eligible to donate blood and blood components.

  3. Weight: must be above 50kg.

  4. Have not donated blood in the last 60 days.

Perhaps you’ve heard an appeal for blood donation that says: we’re running low on certain blood types. That doesn’t mean other types aren’t valuable: there’s always a need and purpose for every type of blood. Here’s what we’re looking for today: All Types whether you’re A, B, AB or O – or unknown – all types of blood are valuable and can help save lives.

Yes, donating blood is safe. We always use new, sterile blood bag that are discarded after one use.


You’ll even be given a mini-physical exam at your appointment, to ensure you are healthy enough to donate that day. We’ll check your blood pressure, pulse and hemoglobin.


Whole blood and Platelet donations are performed in a highly-controlled environment by professionally trained staff.


Each platelet donation is collected through a new, sterile kit that is used once and then discarded.


Most donors feel fine after donating blood, but if you do feel faint or fatigued, simply lie down until you feel better. It might help you to think about this: you have about 6:7 liters of blood in your body. Roughly 450 ml is given during a donation. Your body can replenish that loss in a short time (a matter of hours for some components, a few weeks for others).

Platelet donation is a little different than a regular whole blood donation. Here’s how:

  • From start to finish, it takes one and half-hour to donate platelets.

  • Here’s a quick illustration of what happens during a platelet donation:
    • A relatively small amount of blood is drawn from your arm and goes into a machine called a blood cell separator.
    • This blood is rapidly spun, which forces the platelets to separate from the other blood components.
    • These cells then go into a sterile, single-use plastic bag.
    • Meanwhile, the rest of your blood – the plasma, red cells and white cells – is returned to you.
    • This cycle is repeated several times. A single donation of platelets often constitutes several transfused platelet units.

Donating platelets is a safe process.

  • You need an appointment to donate platelets.

  • Please bring your national I.D card.

  • Do not take aspirin products for at least 3 days prior to your appointment. For example, if you take aspirin products on Monday, the soonest you may donate platelets is Thursday.

  • Plan to be in the donation chair for about one and half hour to ensure a full donation.

  • Get a good night's rest prior to your donation.

  • You may donate platelets every two weeks, up to 24 times a year.
  • Knowing you’re helping cancer patients have a good day when each day counts.

  • Whole Blood donation can save up to three lives.

  • A platelet donation can provide a full dose of platelets for a patient, sometimes up to three patients. Many physicians and hospitals prefer it for patients requiring a platelet transfusion.

The blood donation center has always adhered to strict infection control procedures including wearing gloves, wiping down donor chairs, using sterile single use collection sets and verifying the health of donors.


We have now increased our vigilance to include:

  • Masks being worn by all staff at all times
  • Stringent disinfecting of all surfaces between each donor.
  • Provide hand sanitizer for donor use throughout the process.
  • Donor waiting areas and donor chairs have been spaced out to adhere to physical distancing.
  • Temperatures of all staff are being taken before each shift.
  • All staff and donors who are not feeling 100% are asked to stay at home.
  • Donors will be given a mask to wear upon entering the donor center or bloodmobile.
  • All healthy and eligible individuals that are feeling well are asked to consider donating blood.

  • Individuals should not donate blood if they are feeling ill, have COVID -19, or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.

  • Individuals who are recovered from COVID-19 should wait at least 28 days after symptoms have subsided to donate blood.

The need for blood for 57357 patients never stops. So if you are in good health and your age is between 18 and 65 and weighing more than 50 kg, donate your blood today to support a child during a critical time of their treatment journey. You can do that during one of your visits to the hospital. Please visit 57357’s blood bank located on the ground floor, we are available from 8am to 8pm every day. Please fill in this form available on line.


If you are working in a large company or institution or member of a religious or social organization where several co-workers and members are interested in making a donation, we can organize for a mobile blood drive at your end. For more information, please fill-in this form or contact our mobile drive coordinator on 19057.

Platelets are tiny cells in your blood that helps to stop bleeding. Cancer patients are a primary recipient of platelets as they are essential to surviving and fighting cancer, chronic diseases, and traumatic injuries as illustrated by the following:


  • Platelets give cancer patients the strength they need to keep fighting.
  • While cancer patients undergo treatment, a major side effect is low platelet count. Without a platelet transfusion cancer patients face life-threatening bleeding because platelets help blood to clot.


  • Platelets also help patients survive major surgeries or serious injuries.
  • After major surgery or serious injury, patients may need platelets to replace those lost during bleeding. Platelets keep them alive while they recover.


  • Platelets give strength to patients with blood disorders and those with transplants.
  • Platelets transfusions go a long way to help keep these patients going and live more active, healthy lives.
    Platelets must be used within five days and new donors are needed every day. That’s why we need you.


  • Platelet donation is a little different than a regular whole blood donation. Here is how:
    • Platelets can only be donated at 57357’s Donor Center. They cannot be given at a blood mobile drive.
    • Platelet donation involves the usage of a machine (apheresis) with special devices designed to collect only platelet cells and return back to you all the other blood cells and fluids.
    • you may donate platelets every two weeks, up to 24 times a year.