Under the auspices of His Excellency the Minister of Health, Eng. Khalid Al-Falih, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has honored today (Sunday) morning a number of blood donors by awarding them medals for merit of the second grade, a gift granted by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, may Allah protect him, due to their detonation of blood for more than 50 times. This came as part of the Kingdom's celebrations of the World Blood Donor Day, which is marked on 14 June every year.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister of Health for Laboratories and Blood Banks, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Omar, indicated in a speech that the support paid to blood donors by the Kingdom and its wise rulers is not weird as blood donation is a noble humanitarian deed that makes the person closer to your Creator, and it is of benefit to other people.
Moreover, Dr. Al-Omar pointed out that the Ministry of Health seeks to offer all safe blood supplies to the patients in need of them. Also, the MOH seeks to apply the latest developments in the field of blood transfusion. Dr. Al-Omar has expressed his sincere thanks to all blood donors, including the honored, as well as to those who contributed to this great deed, and to His Excellency the Minister of Health for sponsoring this celebration.
Additionally, Dr. Al-Omar revealed that the number of the volunteers who have donated their blood for more than ten times and obtained medals for merit of the third grade from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, May Allah protect him, amounted to 31,212 volunteers, whilst the number of those who have donated their blood for more than 50 times and obtained medals for merit of the second grade amounted to 234 volunteers since the issuance of the decision of granting medals for merit on Rabei II 7th, 1404 H.
For his part, the Director-General of Laboratories and Blood Banks, Mr. Ali Al-Sharif, clarified that blood transfusion services in the Kingdom have achieved remarkable success with regard to the provision of safe blood for those who need it of patients by providing the latest devices, recruiting skilled technical experts, more importantly, physicians, specialists and technicians, setting strategies and work plans in blood banks as well as applying sustainable quality control management programs; in order to ensure the safety of blood from the vein of the donor until it is delivered to the patient’s vein. This success was achieved due to the availability of 195 blood banks in the Kingdom.
Within the same vein, Mr. Al-Sharif said "Out of the ministry's belief in the importance of the constant development, it has adopted six projects that will contribute to promoting the level of performance in the blood banks, including IT programs, a program for linking blood banks electronically, and mobile blood bank units, as well as providing a carrier to move blood to all blood banks in the Kingdom 24 hours a day."
For his part, Brigadier Ayied Al-Enazi delivered a speech on behalf of the blood donors saying, “This ceremony is touching our souls as it encourages us to communicate with each other and pledge to cooperate in all sectors, especially in the health field,” adding that their blood donation stemmed from a strong belief in the significance of saving lives of patients after Allah blessed blood donors with health and well-being. “For that reason,” Brigadier Al-Enazi said, “We had to repay the debt by donating our blood in an endeavor to do a good deed and protect out health, hoping for the reward from Almighty Allah.”
It should be noted that the MOH has launched today morning a voluntary blood donation campaign at its headquarters within its continued blood donation campaigns.