Ministry of Health (MOH) has launched a national campaign for blood donation under the theme, "My Blood for My Country", in conjunction with the Kingdom celebrations of the National Day. The MOH is keen to make use of this auspicious occasion to urge citizens to donate blood, to contribute to saving the lives of those in need for blood, and to enhance health facilities across the country to provide blood.
According to MOH, 127 banks are ready to receive donors during the national day, urging everyone to participate in such noble humanitarian work.
It is noteworthy that blood donation is a voluntary medical procedure for transfusion of the blood or its products from a healthy person to a sick person in need. Millions of people are in need of this procedure every year; it is used during surgeries, accidents or diseases that require transfusing certain blood components.
The importance of blood donation lies in saving lives, especially in complicated cases, such as pregnant women with pre, during and post-natal bleeding, cardiac, vascular, organ transplant, blood disease, accidents and cancer patients.
Benefits of donating blood include increasing the activity of the bone morrow to produce new blood cells (red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets), and boosting blood circulation, in addition to lowering the iron level in the blood as it is one of the causes of heart diseases and clogging of the arteries.
Studies have proved that those who donate blood at least once a year are less likely to develop circulatory diseases and leukemia.