The Durban University of Technology’s department of Biomedical  and Clinical Technology department held a blood donation campaign as part of its second year student project, at Steve Biko Campus on Thursday.

Students were given the task to recruit 15 potential blood donors to come forth and donate their blood for such a vital campaign.

Senior laboratory technician, Ranilla Pillay, said this was about students educating people on the importance of donating blood and how it saves lives.

“Since the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) indicated that the blood banks were running low, ahead of the forthcoming festive season, the need for blood donations has come crucial and we encouraged our Biomedical students to go out and make people realise the need to donate,” said Pillay.

SANBS registered enrolled nurse, Bells Mlahlwa, said they asked for an invitation to DUT due to blood shortage especially after Tuesday’s heavy rains in KwaZulu-Natal.

“Since the Tuesday storm, we could not go anywhere to collect pints of blood and we lost about 800 pints of potential blood donations, so now we are rushing to obtain blood because of that. About less than 1% of South Africans are active donors and that blood only lasts 42 days after donation, hence blood is vital before the festive season. We need these donor to be honest about their life style, because taking so much blood from them and testing it at our own expense, only to discard it, will cost us time and money,” said Mlahlwa.

First time donor and DUT’s Nautical Studies student, Nelile Gcabashe, said by donating her blood was to make a change to someone’s live.