The Ministry of Health and Prevention, MoHAP, has said that the ongoing blood donation campaigns are in accordance with the best safety and accuracy standards approved by international bodies to support the strategic stockpile of blood banks in the country.

In a statement on the eve of World Blood Donor Day 2020 which takes place on 14th June, MoHAP added that all the preventive and precautionary measures have been adopted to fight the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the safety of blood donations and its derivatives, raise the scientific competence and practical experience of medical and technical cadres, and enhance the quality of public safety programmes in the donation process.

According to the World Health Organisation, WHO, the campaign theme for this year is "Safe blood saves lives" with the slogan "Give blood and make the world a healthier place". The aim is to raise awareness about the need for safe blood for patients, road traffic injuries, patients with thalassemia, anaemia, among other diseases.

MoHAP pointed out that services are available at Sharjah Blood Transfusion and Research Center, in addition to eight sub-centres in the ministry’s hospitals and three mobile vehicles which organise over 500 external campaigns annually, pointing to the humanitarian side of blood donation and its role in saving lives.

Dr. Hussein Abdel Rahman Al-Rand, Under-Secretary of the Ministry’s Health Assistance Sector, Health Centres and Clinics, said, "The UAE joins the world in celebrating this occasion to pay tribute to blood donors in recognition of their great humanitarian work. At MoHAP, we strive to develop work mechanisms and identify the needs of blood transfusion centres and blood banks, especially in light of COVID-19 pandemic and in response to WHO’s new action plan 2020 – 2024 aimed at providing safe blood for everyone at a faster rate by following new and innovating work mechanisms."

Al-Rand underlined that the UAE has established itself as one of the world’s leading countries in blood transfusion safety and rate of the voluntary blood donation by 100 percent, highlighting blood bank achievements, including the accreditation certificates by the American Blood Banks Association and the International Health Accreditation Authority.

In addition, WHO has chosen Sharjah Blood Transfusion and Research Center as its "regional centre in the Middle East" since 2008. This reflects the development and quality of the services provided and the important role the blood transfusion centre plays in the training and research field.

Safia Al Shamsi, Director of Sharjah Blood Transfusion and Research Center, said, "At the Sharjah Blood Transfusion Center and MoHAP’s blood banks, we conduct the latest international tests, including serological and DNA tests to automatically detect infectious and viral diseases. This comes as part of MoHAP’s endeavours to provide safe blood in quantities that cater to a patient’s needs."

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