The Attraction and Retention of

MBA - WBSIn South Africa, the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) is the largest blood transfusion service and is responsible for the collection, processing and issuing of blood and blood products. In 1975 the World Health Organisation in the Safe Blood Policy recommended that all blood collections should be based on voluntary non-remunerated donations in order to ensure that the blood supply of the nation is as safe as possible (WHO 1975). The purpose of this research is to understand the donation behaviour patterns of blood donors in South Africa. Behaviour patterns that could provide understanding of the motivators that enable blood donors to return to donate, the deterrents to blood donation in order to prevent donor loss, and ascertaining the factors that explain why donors stop donating blood. 244 Lapsed and Current donors were contacted telephonically and interviewed using a structured interview guide by the Egoli Telerecruiting Department from the lapsed donor base of the Westgate and Fairlands Donor Centres. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics. The reasons why donors start donating is because donors are altruistic in behaviour and have a “giving” nature, and donors are influenced by family, fiends and peers in the workplace and at school. Donors continue to donate blood because of convenient venues, days and time are necessary to keep the donors donating as well as incentives in the form of gifts are important in encouraging donors to remain as donors. Time constraints, medical deferrals and failure to remind the donor to donate are the key reasons for why donors do not return to donate blood. The recommendations are based on the facts that donors want convenience in donor centre times, improved privacy during the pre-donation interview, donor education and telephonic reminders to ensure that donor retention is improved and thus ensure the sustainability of SANB