Dubai Healthcare City holds donation drive

Dubai: A total of 99 people in just five hours generously donated blood at a recent blood donation drive organised by Dubai Healthcare City, a member of TECOM Investments, doctors said.

The blood donation drive was held in collaboration with Blood Donation Centre, the central blood bank of Al Wasl Hospital, and supported by Empower.

Dr Aisha Abdullah, Managing Director of Sciences Cluster, TECOM Investments, said: "Blood donations are an integral and essential part of our health care system and without them many of the life saving and life enhancing treatments that we take for granted cannot be conducted," she said.

"This initiative reiterates DHCC's commitment to the well-being of the community and I would like to thank everyone who has participated in our blood drive."

"It is important to raise awareness that one pint of blood can help save three to five lives but also that the need for donations is ongoing," Dr Abdullah said.

"If we are to meet this demand, we need organisations and individuals to become regular supporters because this is something that impacts the whole community."

Dr Rena Saheb, head of the Medical Unit at Dubai Blood Donation Centre at Al Wasl Hospital said: "The demand from hospitals and clinics in Dubai is such that we need to conduct almost daily donation campaigns across Dubai.

The process is virtually painless and the actual blood donation takes only around seven minutes (depending on blood flow).