Muscat - The number of blood units collected by the Central Blood Bank in Bausher of the Ministry of Health increased by 21 percent in 2022 compared to 2021.
The percentage of Omani blood donors increased by 77%, that of voluntary blood donors by 97%, while the percentage of new donors who donated for the first time reached 49%.
More than 78,000 different blood components were disbursed to health institutions affiliated with the Ministry of Health, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Sultan Qaboos Integrated Center for Cancer Treatment and Research, Armed Forces Hospital, and Royal Oman Police Hospital, in addition to private health institutions.
Dr. Zainab bint Salem al Araimi, Director of the Blood Banks Services Department, said: The daily demand for blood units and its components is constantly increasing for 140 to 160 units, and the Central Blood Bank has suffered a depletion in the stock of some blood groups, platelets and other components as a result due to low number of donors in some periods of 2022.
She added that the increase in the number of collected units does not mean reaching the stage of sufficiency, as the need for blood is still present and continuous.
Therefore, we urge the community to continue donating blood to maintain a safe stock of blood units and to meet the increasing needs in light of the expansion of health services in the Sultanate of Oman.
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