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12 per cent increase in blood donors

ABU DHABI - The number of blood donors in Abu Dhabi, majority of whom are Emiratis, has increased by 12 per cent in 2009 compared to 2008 due to people’s desire to help others, said Dr Naima Oumeziane, head of the Abu Dhai Blood Bank (ADBB).

“In 2008, we had around 23,000 blood donors and this increased to 25,000 in 2009. For the first five months this year, we are up by five per cent. Our target is to increase donors by 10 per cent every year,” Dr Oumeziane said.

“Emiratis who represent 15.1 per cent of all donors comprise the largest number of donors amongst the many different nationalities that give blood each year,” she added.

“People are aware now of the blood donation and they feel when they donate blood that they are helping people and the society,” Dr Oumeziane told Khaleej Times on the sidelines of a ceremony on Monday honouring 20 regular blood donors who have been donating blood for more than 15 years, and 21 top organisations that have supported the ADBB in organising donation drives for their employees for the past five years.

The ceremony was held to mark the occasion of the World Blood Donors Day 2010, an annual international health awareness event to support national blood donor programmes in building a stable base of voluntary unpaid donors who make a long-term commitment to blood donation.

“Amongst our top 20 blood donors, some of whom have been donating blood regularly for the past 15 years visit us for donation three to five times a year on average,” said Dr Oumeziane.

During the first five months of 2010, the ADBB collected 11,000 units of blood and 300 units of Apheresis Platelets. ADBB has also organised 132 blood donation drives with different corporate organisations from January 1 to May 31.

In Abu Dhabi, Thalassemia patients and those undergoing surgery are the major recipients of donated blood. Victims of accidents and cancer patients also benefit greatly from the donation.

Donors who are between the ages of 18-65 can donate 450 millilitres of blood every three months, provided they are in a very good health condition.

Reda Hashem, a businessman from Lebanon has been donating blood for 29 years, starting in 1981 as a student in England. I have been donating ever since, every three months,” he said.

Dr Maria Araneta, head of Transfusion Medicine Services at the Shaikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), said blood from voluntary donors are the foundation of safe blood supply because they are associated with significantly lower levels of infections that can be transmitted by transfusion.

SKMC’s plan to convert to 100 percent voluntary donations in the near future.

olivia@khaleejtimes.com