Newborns blood donors

2003/01/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Medikuntza

In sub-Saharan countries, 25% of children who are not cured with the usual treatments against malaria die from anemia. In fact, in the most severe cases of malaria, blood transfusions are needed to fight anemia and in many cases there is not enough blood in hospitals.

In the Komfo Hospital of Ghana they are with the solution of this problem. Their researchers have found that the umbilical cord of newborns is a good source of blood for transfusional use. Although the amount of blood left in the umbilical cord is small, it is enough to save the life of a child seriously affected by malaria.

Thus, in 60% of the transfusions to be performed the blood obtained in the paritorium is used. However, there are doctors who believe that it is very difficult to apply this technique in small hospitals.