The South African Blood Transfusion Service operates a vital service at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital's Blood Bank, providing a wide range of blood products and other auxilliary services.

All blood donated is from voluntary donors of all racial groups.

The lack of knowledge and understanding of the importance of blood donation, and donating safe blood has led to a high number of blood donors in the local community being excluded from donating blood. An Autologous transfusion programme was introduced at the hospital. This means patients can donate and be transfused with their own blood.

The blood bank also provides ante-natal services which include blood groupings, Rhesus typing, identification and titration, irregular antibody screening and bilirubin investigations. About 12 000 investigations are performed per year in these categories. Approximately 30 units of blood are provided to new-born babies for exchange transfusions.

A service is also provided to perform HLA "Tissue Typing" on all cases requiring organ & bone marrow transplant and "DNA Typing" on all bone marrow transplants.