Dubai: A group of Dubai residents from Kerala donated platelets through a donation campaign at the Dubai Blood Donation Centre (DBDC) on Friday.
The Unique Friends of Kerala donated platelets, not whole blood, to help patients who need it most.
Platelets are a type of blood cell that is essential for blood clotting, according to DBDC. Leukaemia and cancer patients or those with serious medical problems often receive platelets as well as premature babies whose blood clotting system may not be fully functional.
Platelet donation usually takes 60 to 80 minutes through a process called apheresis, where the blood is passed through a special cell-separating machine. A resident can donate platelets more frequently than whole blood. Platelet donors can donate every two weeks, or up to 24 times a year.
Donors should be in good health, should be feeling well on the day of donation. They should have had proper sleep the previous night in order to be eligible to donate. For more information on the eligibility criteria, visit DBDC’s website.
