Dubai Health Authority(DHA) and DP World, UAE Region, have signed an agreement under which DP World, UAE Region, donated Dh1.7 million ($487,000) towards a mobile blood donation bus for DHA's blood donation centre.

The agreement was signed  today at the DHA headquarters by Essa Al Maidoor, director-general of Dubai Health Authority and Mohammed Al Muallem, senior vice president and managing director, DP World, UAE Region.

Al Maidoor praised this humanitarian initiative and said that this partnership symbolizes true collaboration between the government entities in the Emirate. He expressed his appreciation for entities such as DP World, that undertake such initiatives which are aimed for the benefit of the community.

He said such contributions help support the Authority’s healthcare expansion plans which are aimed to keep pace with the growing population.

Al Muallem said: “DP World, UAE Region is proud to support Dubai Health Authority in their continuous efforts to increase public awareness on the need to donate blood to those who need it. The Dubai Blood Donation Centre (DBDC) is doing a commendable job to ensure that a safe and adequate supply of blood is collected to meet the needs of hospitals in Dubai. This partnership to acquire a new mobile blood donation unit is part of DP World’s commitment to the community and we hope it will further boost DHA’s noble work.”

Al Shaer highlighted the importance of this donation, which will directly help increase the number of blood collected through mobile blood donation campaigns.

She said the addition of this state-of-the-art bus will help in collecting  additional 70-80 units of blood per day.

Al Shaer said a mobile blood donation bus helps the centre reach out to different sections of society interested in blood donation and it is convenient for donors.

She said the centre already has one mobile blood collection bus which was sponsored by Al Baraha Quran Recitation Centre in 2011.

Al Shaer said the mobile unit  helped the centre double the blood collection at every drive. “Now, with this additional mobile bus, we are confident that we will be able to collect additional units of blood, which will directly benefit those in need of blood, especially Thalassemia patients.”

Al Shaer highlighted that the blood donation centre is the central blood donation centre for the Emirate of Dubai. It supplies blood and blood products to all private and governmental hospitals in the Emirate of Dubai, this includes over 30 private and government hospitals in Dubai.

The DBDC blood collection amounts to 50 per cent of the total blood collected in the UAE.  Fourty-two per cent of this blood is used for Thalassemia patients and 27 per cent is used for Trauma patients.  
 
For 27 years, Dubai Blood Donation Center has been committed to serving the needs of their local communities by saving lives through voluntary un-paid Donation. Donor Recruitment and blood collection is conducted through Blood Donation Camps in and outside the centre. From January to December 2013, the centre collected 42,000 units of blood.

The centre undertakes the responsibility of ensuring safe blood for thousands of people who receive life-saving blood transfusions every year.

Al Shaer said, “At the centre, we carry out more than 300 campaigns in a year to donate blood and we visit various governmental organizations, private sector groups etc.

Al Shaer said the mobile blood donation unit is a state-of-the-art bus which has four couches in the waiting area and four beds. Moreover the unit has a separate room to check the BP, cholesterol and haemoglobin levels of donors prior to any donation.

DBDC conducts blood donation drives every day, except Saturdays. Therefore, on an average the DBDC conducts about 25 campaigns every month. Sometimes the DBDC conducts 2 campaigns a day. Yearly, the DBDC conducts on an average about 300 campaigns. DBDC cooperates with over 250 private and government institutions for blood donations. The minimum number of donors at a camp is 50 and the maximum is 200. - TradeArabia News Service