Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)’s Blood Donor Centre is calling on eligible members of the community to donate blood to ensure enough stocks ahead of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
As the world celebrates World Blood Donor Day today (June 14), the chairperson of the HMC’s Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology Dr Einas al-Kuwari said it is the perfect time for people to become blood donors.
“For 2022, the World Blood Donor Day slogan is *Donating blood is an act of solidarity. Join the effort and save lives* to draw attention to the roles that voluntary blood donations play in saving lives and enhancing solidarity within communities,” she said. “This has never been more important as we head towards the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.”
Dr al-Kuwari said that with more than 1.5mn visitors expected in Qatar for the event, Qatar Blood Services, which operates the Blood Donation Centres, needs more donors to come forward to give blood.
“This is to ensure that we have adequate blood supplies on hand to not only meet our daily needs for cancer patients, trauma patients and others, but also to handle additional requirements,” she said. “The shelf life of blood is 42 days from the date of collection, so having a regular source of blood donations to cover this period is vital.”
“One unit of blood donated may benefit at least three patients if used as separate blood components,” Dr al-Kuwari added.
Qatar Blood Services donation centres and mobile units follow the highest standards of safety and infection control and the teams are taking extra precautions to help ensure the safety of employees and donors.
Qatar Blood Services has opened a new temporary Blood Donor Centre location at Bayt Al Diyafah in Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City for male donors only.
Females will be able to donate at the Blood Donor Centre next to the Surgical Specialty Centre.
“Safe blood and blood products and their transfusion are a critical aspect of care in our healthcare system,” Dr al-Kuwari said. “They save lives and improve the health and quality of life of many patients every day. Giving blood is a simple process and takes less than one hour of your time.”
“For 2022, the World Blood Donor Day slogan is *Donating blood is an act of solidarity. Join the effort and save lives* to draw attention to the roles that voluntary blood donations play in saving lives and enhancing solidarity within communities,” she said. “This has never been more important as we head towards the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.”
Dr al-Kuwari said that with more than 1.5mn visitors expected in Qatar for the event, Qatar Blood Services, which operates the Blood Donation Centres, needs more donors to come forward to give blood.
“This is to ensure that we have adequate blood supplies on hand to not only meet our daily needs for cancer patients, trauma patients and others, but also to handle additional requirements,” she said. “The shelf life of blood is 42 days from the date of collection, so having a regular source of blood donations to cover this period is vital.”
“One unit of blood donated may benefit at least three patients if used as separate blood components,” Dr al-Kuwari added.
Qatar Blood Services donation centres and mobile units follow the highest standards of safety and infection control and the teams are taking extra precautions to help ensure the safety of employees and donors.
Qatar Blood Services has opened a new temporary Blood Donor Centre location at Bayt Al Diyafah in Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City for male donors only.
Females will be able to donate at the Blood Donor Centre next to the Surgical Specialty Centre.
“Safe blood and blood products and their transfusion are a critical aspect of care in our healthcare system,” Dr al-Kuwari said. “They save lives and improve the health and quality of life of many patients every day. Giving blood is a simple process and takes less than one hour of your time.”
