Benefits of donating blood

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Every now and then we hear announcements from hospitals appealing to individuals with a certain blood type to donate blood to a patient in need of a life-saving transfusion. In other cases, hospitals urge people to donate blood because their blood banks are almost empty. The majority of people think this process only benefits the recipients, but donors also benefit from donating blood.

Dr Nancy Okinda, a senior instructor and pathologist at the Aga Khan University Hospital, explains, “Donating blood is one of the easiest and safest processes. It does not hurt and, therefore, one should not be afraid. With every donation an individual can save three lives,” she says.