Donate blood, save life
Call to shore up supply due to decline in blood donation during summer months
Published: 05:06 PM,Jun 14,2024 | EDITED : 09:06 PM,Jun 14,2024
Anyone who meets the eligibility criteria can donate blood from 8am to 8pm, from Saturday to Thursday, and from 8am to 2pm on Friday at the Bausher Blood Bank
Muscat: On the World Blood Donation Day, the Central Blood Bank in Bausher has made a fresh appeal to the donors to donate blood in view of the long holidays and in the backdrop of the decline in blood donation during summer months.
Speaking to the Observer, a representative from the Department of Blood Banks Services (DBBS) urged donors to come forward during the holidays and help save lives. “During summer months, we get a lesser number of donors and it is reflected in the stock of blood units during summer and the available quantity is not sufficient to meet the demand. Therefore, we, the Department of Blood Banks Services, would like to call on everyone to donate blood over the holidays,” he said.
According to the requirements of the DBBS, anyone who meets the eligibility criteria can donate blood from 8am to 8pm, from Saturday to Thursday, and from 8am to 2pm on Friday at the Bausher Blood Bank.
Alternatively, one can call or whatsapp 94555648, or by dial 24591255 and book a slot for them and take part in the ongoing national blood donation drive. A recent statistics released by the Ministry of Health suggests that the demand for blood units per day in all the hospitals and clinics is around 140 units whereas the average supply in other months stands at 100 units and there is an increase of nearly 40 percent compared to last year.
The demand for blood and its components has been steadily rising from 10 per cent to 15 on an average and in the recent past, it has jumped manifold, according to the DBBS.
The cases that require blood units or one of its components are mostly surgery cases, RTA (Road Traffic Accidents), other accidents related to workplace/home, malignant blood diseases and bone marrow failure. Other cases are genetic blood diseases, some cancerous tumors, and in some cases of childbirth.
An average, healthy person can donate blood from 18 years on. But due to ignorance of the necessity of blood donation, many are not coming forward to do this noble deed, according to reports. On the contrary, one can donate once every three months.
'Associations and clubs can organise awareness and blood donation camps, and some are organised by the DBBS itself while some are in cooperation with private organisations,' the DBBS official said.
Speaking to the Observer, a representative from the Department of Blood Banks Services (DBBS) urged donors to come forward during the holidays and help save lives. “During summer months, we get a lesser number of donors and it is reflected in the stock of blood units during summer and the available quantity is not sufficient to meet the demand. Therefore, we, the Department of Blood Banks Services, would like to call on everyone to donate blood over the holidays,” he said.
According to the requirements of the DBBS, anyone who meets the eligibility criteria can donate blood from 8am to 8pm, from Saturday to Thursday, and from 8am to 2pm on Friday at the Bausher Blood Bank.
Alternatively, one can call or whatsapp 94555648, or by dial 24591255 and book a slot for them and take part in the ongoing national blood donation drive. A recent statistics released by the Ministry of Health suggests that the demand for blood units per day in all the hospitals and clinics is around 140 units whereas the average supply in other months stands at 100 units and there is an increase of nearly 40 percent compared to last year.
The demand for blood and its components has been steadily rising from 10 per cent to 15 on an average and in the recent past, it has jumped manifold, according to the DBBS.
The cases that require blood units or one of its components are mostly surgery cases, RTA (Road Traffic Accidents), other accidents related to workplace/home, malignant blood diseases and bone marrow failure. Other cases are genetic blood diseases, some cancerous tumors, and in some cases of childbirth.
An average, healthy person can donate blood from 18 years on. But due to ignorance of the necessity of blood donation, many are not coming forward to do this noble deed, according to reports. On the contrary, one can donate once every three months.
'Associations and clubs can organise awareness and blood donation camps, and some are organised by the DBBS itself while some are in cooperation with private organisations,' the DBBS official said.