Dubai: Marking the forth coming World Blood donation day, Dubai Holding and the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) held a successful blood donation campaign for three months.

The campaign, called ‘The Perfect Gift is Saving Lives’ secured over 770 blood units for Dubai Blood Donation Centre (DBDC). This campaign was marked the second joint blood donation drive between the two entities aimed at encouraging Dubai residents to donate blood.

The campaign kicked off on April 1 and operated using a state-of-the-art blood donation bus contributed by Dubai Holding to DBDC. The blood donation bus conducted 26 visits to 16 locations of Dubai Holding’s communities and retail destinations across the emirate, where currently more than 300,000 people live and work, providing added convenience while ensuring compliance with COVID-19 protocols and safety measures.

These include City Walk, The Beach, La Mer, Bluewaters, Last Exit Al Khawaneej, Boxpark, Mudon, The Villa, Shorooq, Ghoroob, Layan, Remraam, Al Khail Gate, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Barsha Heights and The Executive Towers at Business Bay. The campaign saw strong participation across all the locations, with almost 920 donors representing 71 nationalities, many of whom have also registered with DBDC to become regular donors.

To support the joint efforts and help in boosting Dubai’s blood supplies, Dubai Holding employees volunteered nearly 160 hours on site, which involved coordinating with DHA staff, supporting with registration, and facilitating walk-ins by inviting guests in the vicinity to come and donate blood.

Khalid Al Malik, Managing Director of Dubai Holding said: “This three-month long joint campaign successfully mobilised the community in support of the important mission of Dubai Blood Donation Centre. The campaign has helped raise awareness about the need for regular blood donations so that all individuals and communities have access to safe and quality-assured blood and blood products in both normal and emergency situations.”

Dr Hussain Al Samt, Director of DHA’s Pathology and Genetics Department, highlighted the significance of the campaign and the role it played in reinforcing the capabilities of the blood donation centre in achieving the maximum response to medical conditions requiring blood transfusions. He encouraged everyone to continue donating blood for the benefit of patients, especially those with Thalassemia who require regular blood transfusions.

DBDC receives blood donations from more than 149 nationalities with more than 65,300 registered blood donors, and the Centre provides around 50% of the total blood collected in the country, ensuring that those in need in both public and private hospitals have access to safe and timely supply of regular blood and blood components such as platelets and plasma.