Abu Dhabi Blood Bank celebrates "World Blood Donor Day" on 14 June 2008

World Blood Donor Day is an international health awareness event celebrated annually on the 14th of June.

This year, the theme of world blood donor day is "giving blood regularly" to support national blood donor programs in building a stable base of voluntary unpaid donors who make a long term commitment to blood donation.

The dedication of the World Blood Donor Day 2008 to regular blood donors has three broad objectives:

- To create wider public awareness of the need for regular donation because of the short shelf-life of blood components and to encourage existing and potential donors to donate blood at regular intervals.

- To recognize regular voluntary unpaid donors as healthy individuals, and therefore, they are integral to public health systems because they lead healthy lifestyles and are regularly screened to able to donate blood regularly.

- To attract the attention on donor health and quality of donor care as critical factors in building donor commitment and willingness to donate regularly.

Saif Al Qubaisi, Managing Director - SEHA said, "It is an honor for the United Arab Emirates to be the first country in the Arab world and the fifth worldwide to host the World Blood Donor Day. On this day, we would like to invite all countries to encourage blood donation which contributes in saving lives." added Carl Stanifer, CEO of SEHA, "Emirati's are a generous people.

As a percentage of all donors, Emirati's are our largest group.

By donating regularly, they have helped us maintain an adequate supply on hand and we encourage their continued support.

On the occasion of the World Blood Donor Day 2008, the ADBB will hold the following activities:

- Setting-up a Health Awareness Booth at the Marina Mall - 1st floor on the 14th of June 2008 from 04:00 pm till 10:00 pm.

The medical staff at the educational booth will perform free tests for hemoglobin, blood pressure, and blood type.

Moreover, educational materials and gifts will be distributed to visitors during the campaign.

ADBB blood donors are invited to the booth as well as SKMC patients who require blood transfusion constantly such as Thalassemic patients and their families.

- Educational brochures, leaflets, and posters will be distributed to different organizations in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Dr. Naima Oumeziane, head of the ADBB, stated that "this year we not only want to thank the donors who gave blood in previous years and recently but on this occasion we want to raise the awareness about continuously donating blood and to encourage friends and family to donate blood in an effort to save lives. The act of blood donation is unique, and blood donors are special people. Our volunteers provide nearly all the nation's blood supply for transfusion. There is no substitute for human blood and on behalf of the ADBB we want to acknowledge the blood donors who are helping their fellow human beings and giving the gift of life. If all eligible donors give blood twice per year, it would greatly help in maintaining an adequate blood supply for the country. Eligible blood donors can donate blood 3-4 times per year safely."

She further commented "During year 2007, the ADBB collected 20 000 units of blood and 600 units of Apheresis Platelets. Moreover, 10 000 units of blood and 300 units of Apheresis Platelets were collected since the beginning of year 2008. UAE Nationals which represent 15.1 % of all donors are the largest number of donators amongst the many different nationalities that give blood each year."