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Hamad Medical Corporation’s Qatar Blood Services (QBS) often call for blood donations in order to maintain a sufficient and steady blood inventory, a senior official has said.
Highlighting the reasons behind QBS often calling for blood donors, Executive Director, Transfusion Medicine Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Dr. Aysha Ibrahim Al Malki, said blood transfusion services keep blood inventory under continuous monitoring with defined desirable stock inventory for each blood group, and when there is a shortage of any blood group, QBS calls for donations.
The shelf life of blood is 42 days from the date of collection, so having a regular source of blood donations to cover this period is vital. One unit of blood donated may benefit at least three patients if used as separate blood components.
But Al Malki said that some blood types are rare, especially negative blood groups, and stocks tend to be used up faster.
Additionally, platelets (a blood component) used in case of accidents or massive injuries have a limited shelf life of 7 days only, so it is essential to collect fresh platelets continuously.
“QBS is the sole entity for collection and distribution of blood and blood products for all hospitals and healthcare clinics in the State of Qatar,” said Dr. Al Malki while talking to The Peninsula.
“On most occasions, QBS tends to request for donation of O+ and O- blood types. This is due to this blood group being the universal type that is used for massive transfusion during accidents and sudden bleeding.
“Adequate supplies of those blood types are continuously provisioned to be stocked in all hospitals in Doha in case of emergencies and in various sections of HMC, including Surgical Department, Trauma and Emergency Center, or at Women’s Wellness and Research Center,” she added.
QBS have a vast number of dedicated voluntary donors from various ethnic backgrounds.
“Our blood donors comprise of individuals donors, community-based associations, government ministries, diplomatic missions, public and private organisations, and the Qatar Armed Forces. They have constantly stood by QBS and supported in the aim to deliver blood to those in need,” said Dr. Al Malki.
“During the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, we were impressed by the extraordinary efforts of our blood donors. Despite restricted movement and other challenges, they continued to donate determinedly,” she added.
QBS collection centre has recently relocated to a spacious location that offers internationally-recognised services in compliance with standards set by accreditation bodies Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies and College of American Pathologists.
