On the World Blood Donor Day 2020, which takes place on June 14, the Ministry of Health and Prevention, MoHAP said that the blood donation campaigns are ongoing in accordance with the best standards approved by international bodies by achieving the highest levels of safety and accuracy in dealing with blood units in order to support the strategic stockpile of blood banks in the country. MoHAP added that all the preventive and precautionary measures have been adopted to fight COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the safety of blood donation and its derivatives, raise the scientific competence and practical experience of medical and technical cadres, and enhance the quality of public safety programs in the donation process. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the campaign theme for this year's World Blood Donor Day is "Safe blood saves lives" with the slogan "Give blood and make the world a healthier place". The aim is to entrench awareness among members of the community about the need for safe blood for patients, road traffic injuries, patients with thalassemia, anemia, among other diseases. MoHAP pointed out that blood donation services are available at Sharjah Blood Transfusion and Research Center, in addition to 8 sub-centers in the Ministry's hospitals and 3 mobile blood donation vehicles which organize over 500 external campaigns annually, pointing to the humanitarian side of blood donation and its role in saving lives. Developing work mechanisms Dr. Hussein Abdel Rahman Al-Rand, undersecretary of the Ministry's Health Assistant Sector, Health Centers and Clinics, said: "The UAE joins the world in celebrating this occasion to pay tribute to blood donors in recognition of their great humanitarian work. At MoHAP, we strive to develop work mechanisms and identify the needs of blood transfusion centers and blood banks, especially in light of COVID-19 pandemic and in response to WHO's new action plan 2020–2024 aimed at providing the safe blood for everyone at a faster rate by following new and innovating work mechanisms." Blood transfusion safety Al-Rand underlined that the UAE has established itself as one of the world's leading countries in blood transfusion safety and rate of the voluntary blood donation by 100%, highlighting blood bank achievements, including the accreditation certificates by the American Blood Banks Association (AABB) and the International Health Accreditation Authority (JCI). In addition, WHO has chosen Sharjah Blood Transfusion and Research Center as its "regional center in the Middle East" Since 2008. This clearly reflects the development and quality of the services provided and the important role the Blood Transfusion Center plays in the training and research field in blood transfusion medicine. State-of-the-art global tests Safia Al Shamsi, director of Sharjah Blood Transfusion and Research Center, said: "MoHAP pays great attention to detecting contagious diseases which can be transmitted through the blood transfusion process. At the Sharjah Blood Transfusion Center and MoHAP's blood banks, we conduct the latest international tests, including serological and DNA tests to automatically detect infectious and viral diseases. This comes as part of MoHAP's endeavors to provide safe blood in quantities that cater to patient's needs." — SG
