MoH stresses need to promote blood donation culture

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Health stressed the need to promote a culture of blood donation to save lives, and to recognize the value of voluntary blood donation to highlight noble human values by preferring others to oneself. In a statement to reporters Wednesday, on the sidelines of the inauguration of the blood donation campaign, “Together forever, wall of the homeland 8,” the Assistant Undersecretary of MoH for External Health Services Affairs Dr Yaqoub Al-Tamar underlined the need to promote a culture of blood donation by urging citizens to follow this behavior, which is crucial for saving the lives and the development of health services.

The ministry has always supported services related to blood transfusion and strives to raise awareness about the need to donate and organize campaigns throughout the year, he said, indicating that the ministry is represented by the Blood Transfusion Services Department, working on assessing Kuwait’s needs for blood annually according to international standards and drawing plans and strategies for the country’s future projects in this regard. Such campaigns are only a continuation of the year-round campaigns carried out by MoH to activate community partnership, promote the principle of social solidarity, and promote awareness about the importance of blood donation to enhance the strategic stock of the blood bank, Dr Al-Tamar added.

He pointed out that this campaign comes out of remembrance of the memory of the brutal invasion of Kuwait and the role of righteous martyrs who sacrificed their blood and to encourage community participation with various institutions. In a similar statement, the medical Director of the Blood Transfusion Services Department Dr Hanan Al-Awadi confirmed that the campaign is witnessing, since the early morning, an excellent turnout, especially from members of the military institutions. Evoking the memory of the brutal Iraqi invasion of Kuwait means giving, and there is no better way than donating blood to save lives that are in dire need of every drop of blood, she pointed out.

Dr Al-Awadhi referred to the need for blood banks with all its types, especially since the expiry date of blood is only one month, pointing to the constant need to donate on an ongoing basis, calling on every person who is able to donate blood to donate. The doors of the blood bank are always open and on all days to receive donors on a regular basis, she noted. Regarding the quantities of blood donations this year compared to last year, she explained that this is better than last year, as the rate of increase during the period from January to July of this year ranged between 59 and 60 percent compared to last year for the same period.

In turn, the Head of the Public Relations Department in Kuwait Fire Force (KFF) Colonel Yousef Ghuloom said that today KFF is participating in the national campaign to donate blood organized by MoH. He explained that this participation comes from the national and societal role of KFF to unite the concept of social solidarity and humanitarian work by supporting and strengthening the strategic stock of the blood bank, in a way that contributes to treating patients and saving lives, pointing to the presence of a wide participation of firefighters who come throughout the day.

On his side, Colonel Sattam Al-Awaid, director of the nursing branch and the examination and medical center at the National Guard, said that based on the cooperation protocol between the National Guard and MoH, in order to activate the role of community service, one of the provisions of the strategic document of the National Guard is the participation of National Guard members to donate blood. He pointed to the participation of many officers in this campaign on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the Iraqi invasion, pointing out that it is a humanitarian action that everyone is supposed to do to enhance the stock of blood and contribute to saving lives that are in dire need of blood.

He explained that the National Guard has prepared an electronic platform for registration to donate blood, so that a specific time is set for every 10 members to reduce crowding, especially since all military agencies participate in this campaign, and it is expected that the number of donors will exceed 200 individuals. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Turki Al-Baidan from the Department of Public Relations and Security Media at the Ministry of Interior (MoI) said that their participation today comes in response to the nation’s call to strengthen the strategic stock in the blood bank out of a sense of social responsibility, pointing out that the campaign comes out of belief in the importance of blood donation and based on the national and humanitarian role in giving.

He stressed that MoI is always active in participating in such campaigns, pointing out that it is one of the first agencies and ministries to participate in blood donation campaigns to send messages to future generations, urging them to give.

Colonel Hamad Al-Saqer from the Directorate of Moral Guidance and Public Relations of the Army said the personnel of the Army General Staff are coming today under the directives of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, with the aim of strengthening the stock of the blood bank and enhancing the humanitarian and community participation of army personnel.

Meanwhile, Zahraa Al-Qallaf, head of the women’s police who participated in the blood donation campaign, said one must follow the example of the Kuwaiti martyrs whose blood was spilled on the soil of the homeland to defend it and face dangers in order to preserve the unity of the homeland. – KUNA

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