Dubai: A mobile blood donation bus will be operating in Dubai with an aim to enhance blood donations and provide donors with added convenience, Dubai Health Authority (DHA) said on Thursday.
The fully equipped mobile blood donation bus which cost Dh1.79 million was donated by DP World.
The bus will be used by the DHA-run Dubai Blood Donation Centre to collect blood during its mobile blood collection campaigns. It would help in collecting additional 70-80 blood units per day, according to a DHA official.
Humaid Al Qutami, chairman of the Board and director-general of DHA, praised the humanitarian initiative and said that this partnership symbolises true collaboration between the government entities in Dubai.
He highlighted that the mobile blood donation bus will help reach out to different sections of society interested in blood donation and will make it convenient for donors.
Dr May Raouf, director of Dubai Blood Donation Centre (DBDC), said this state-of-the-art bus would help in collecting additional blood units every day.
“The bus will help us collect 70-80 units of blood per day, which will directly benefit those in need of blood, especially Thalassemia patients,” Dr Raouf said.
The DBDC supplies blood and blood products to over 40 private and governmental hospitals in Dubai.
Meanwhile, Sultan Ahmad Bin Sulayem, chairman of DP World, said: “We are keen to undertake initiatives that serve the interest of the community in Dubai. The health and rehabilitation sector is particularly important to ensure the wellbeing of our community and we want to contribute to develop this sector.”
In 2016, the DBDC collected approximately 50,000 units of blood, making it the centre to collect the highest units of blood in the UAE.
The centre undertakes the responsibility of ensuring safe blood for thousands of people who receive life-saving transfusions every year.
The centre is located on the premises of Latifa Hospital and individuals interested in donating blood may contact the centre at 04 2193221 or on the DHA’s toll-free 800 342.
