Whole Blood & Components

Most patients do not need whole blood. A patient with anaemia needs red cells, a patient who is bleeding after surgery or delivery may need plasma, and a patient with dengue or on chemotherapy may need platelets. Separating each donation into components means one donor can help up to three patients, and every patient gets only what their doctor ordered.

Components available at Syed Blood Bank, Karachi

• Whole blood — for patients who have lost a large amount of blood.
• Packed red cells (PRC) — the most commonly requested component, for anaemia, thalassaemia and blood loss.
• Fresh frozen plasma (FFP) — kept frozen; contains clotting factors for bleeding and clotting problems.
• Platelet concentrate — for low platelet counts, for example in dengue or during cancer treatment. Platelets keep for only a few days, so call us first to check availability.

How to get blood

Send the patient’s name, blood group, the component and the number of units through our Request Blood page, or call the 24-hour line. Bring the doctor’s request and a fresh blood sample from the patient: red cells are always cross-matched with the patient’s own sample before they are issued, and every unit has already passed our infection screening.

We are in F.B. Area near Gulberg Chowrangi and serve patients in hospitals across Karachi, 24 hours a day.

Ask about this service