In response to the call for black blood donors

I am a Nigerian doctor who, before moving to the UK, donated blood twice a year. I donated blood in Birmingham in March 2021 and received a letter with a stern warning, asking me to refrain from donating for the “foreseeable” future.I had my eligibility for donation confirmed initially. After donating blood, it was found to contain antibodies to malaria. This is not unexpected for someone who has lived in a malaria endemic region and visits regularly. I am not aware of any evidence that the presence of antibodies to malaria makes donated blood infectious. I raised my concerns with NHS Blood and Transplant, asking for clarification of the decision, but got no response. Those of us whose blood type might be most suitable for people of African and Caribbean ancestry with sickle cell disease might not be able to donate blood and are therefore unable to respond to the…
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