In Armenia, the need for donor blood arises regularly, this request is especially relevant in regional centers. Donation is one of the ways to help along with material charity. This is also a great opportunity to express gratitude to the country that has become home for many. By donating blood, you will help those who need it and feel involved in an important and good cause.
In mid-September 2022, Move2Armenia attracted and coordinated blood donation relocators at the Hematology Center named after Professor R.O. Yeolyan, then more than 500 people became donors. The Move2Armenia team gained invaluable experience, which we reformatted into a guide for donors. You can use it at any time and find answers to questions about where and how to donate blood in Armenia.
If you want to become a donor, but right now you do not have such an opportunity (there are temporary contraindications or just the wrong mood), then you can use the option just for such a case. The initiative was recently launched VIVA Foundation. Need to fill questionnaire fund and wait for the operators to contact you. As a rule, this happens when there is a need to replenish the blood bank of exactly your parameters in the Yeolyan center in Yerevan.
You can also find out where donor blood is needed now from VIVA. The Foundation regularly publishes current queries in social networks.
If you see a request for targeted blood donation for a specific person, be sure to check the original source and date of publication: unfortunately, there are often cases when a wave of people wanting to donate blood of specific parameters overloads collection points or the request loses relevance. In addition, the process of collecting blood has its own characteristics and is designed in such a way that a one-day rush will only complicate it, but regular donation, on the contrary, will help it. And the collected blood also has best before date.
How to prepare regardless of the blood collection site you choose
- Study the contraindications. If you don’t have them, then you can choose a convenient point and come there (you should first call the contact number and inform about your desire).
- Get some good rest and sleep. On the day of blood donation and the day before, you should not eat fatty, fried, spicy or smoked foods. In the morning you can drink tea or coffee (without milk), eat fruits (except bananas), pasta in water without oil, boiled cereals, bread, crackers and dryers.
- You should not drink alcohol 24 hours before donating blood, you should not take analgesics and aspirin 72 hours before, and you should not smoke an hour before.
- The day before, prepare the original passport (internal or foreign), you will need to have it with you.
Algorithm of your actions on the spot
- Fill in the form.
- Go to an appointment with a general practitioner for examination and pressure measurement.
- If the doctor decides that you are suitable, then you are given the right to donate blood.
- After this, you will be referred for a rapid finger prick blood test. She will be checked for her group and Rh factor, hemoglobin, leukocyte and platelet levels. One of the decisive indicators is hemoglobin. To be allowed to donate, it must not be below the norm.
- If everything is in order, then blood is taken from a vein: this is not very pleasant, but the discomfort is not stronger than with a conventional injection. After heavy physical activity is not recommended. The best thing to do is eat well and take a break.
The received donated blood is divided into components and distributed to those points where it is most in demand and reaches the recipients, whether they are victims of hostilities, injuries, burns and accidents, cancer patients, women in childbirth, etc.
Where to donate blood?
YEREVAN
Where: Hematology Center named after prof. R.O. Yeolyan
Address: st. Hrachya Nersisyan, 7
Opening hours: on weekdays from 9:00 to 13:00
Telephone: +374 10 283800
Center website: blood.am/rus
Video instructionhow to find a blood bank.
GYUMRI
Where: Clinic № 2
Address: st. Mazmanyan, 3, 2nd floor
Opening hours: on weekdays from 9:00 to 13:00 (weekends by prior arrangement)
Telephone: +374 312 50418
VANADZOR
Where: Vanadzor Medical Center
Address: st. Garegin Nzhdeh, 2/42 (the transfusion point is located at the back of the maternity hospital)
Opening hours: on weekdays from 9:00 to 12:00 (weekends by prior arrangement)
Telephone: +374 322 43053
Requirements
Age: 18+
The weight: for women not less than 52 kg, for men not less than 62 kg
What are the contraindications
Absolute
- Infectious diseases (HIV, viral hepatitis, syphilis, congenital or acquired infectious diseases, all forms of tuberculosis, brucellosis, etc.).
- A number of diseases of the cardiovascular, nervous, respiratory, digestive systems, malignant neoplasms, blood diseases, etc.
Temporary
- Transfusions of blood, its components, tattoos, other medical instrumental interventions, accompanied by a violation of the skin or mucous membranes - 6 months.
- Surgical interventions (check with the doctor on the spot about a specific operation), including abortions - 6 months.
- Staying on business trips abroad (in endemic foci of infection) lasting more than 1 month - 6 months.
- The period of pregnancy and lactation is 6 months, 1 year after childbirth, 3 months after the end of lactation.
- The period of menstruation is 5 days from the date of the end of menstruation.
- Allergic diseases - 2 months.
- Temperature above 37°C, acute inflammation of the upper respiratory tract - 1 month.
- Vaccinations: vaccination with killed vaccines (1 month), vaccination with live vaccines (10 days), against rabies (2 weeks), against hepatitis B (6 months).
- Taking medications: antibiotics, salicylates and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - from 1 week to 1 month.
- Stay in malaria endemic countries - 5 years.
- Alcohol intake - 24 hours.
- Increased levels of the ALT enzyme in the blood up to 2 times - 3 months.
Conflicting misconceptions often arise around the topic of donation, so we verified contraindications and requirements from the Deputy Director for Blood Services of the Hematological Center named after Professor R.O. Yeolian M. L. Akopyan.
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