By Noimot Olayiwola/Staff Reporter

Dr al-Kuwari honouring a blood donor

Latest figures show that Qatar has maintained its status in the region as the country with the highest blood sufficiency for 2010 and 2011 respectively.
The country was able to reach a 100% blood sufficiency during those two years, and received up to 90.2% of the total blood needed in 2009 through voluntary blood donation drives.
Qatar stopped blood imports in 1987 and has been relying on local voluntary blood donors to secure an adequate reserve of high-quality, disease-free blood.
In all, the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)’s Laboratory and Pathology Medicine Department and the Blood Donor Unit received a total of 19,352 units of blood in 2011, 17,321 units in 2010, and 16,666 units in 2009.
The total number of male donors in 2011 was 18,844 (97.38%). The figures were 16,891 (97.51%) and 16,141 (96.8%) in 2010 and 2009 respectively.
Female donors numbered 508 (2.26%) last year, while there were 430 (2.48%) and 525 (3.2%) in 2010 and 2009.
Qatari donors numbered 4,056 (20.95%) in 2011, 3,864 (22.3%) in 2010, and 3,647 (22.3%) in 2009.
While the number of non-Qatari donors reached 15,296 (79.5%) in 2011, it dropped to 13,457 (77.69%) in 2010. The figure was 13,019 (78.11%) in 2009.
For the years 2009, 2010, and 2011, the platelets donors numbered 367, 297 and 277 respectively.
The HMC had last year introduced a hi-tech system called “Atrios” to provide a major boost to its blood donation services.
Speaking on the new technology, the Laboratory and Pathology Medicine Department acting chairperson Dr Ajayeb al-Nabet said the new technology will be used in automatically separating of blood components.
The HMC has also organised a “Blood Donor Recognition Ceremony” on the occasion of the World Blood Donor Day, which falls annually on June 14, to honour 263 people who were at the top of the list of the most frequent blood donors last year.
Through the ceremony, held under the theme “Every Blood Donor is a Hero”, the HMC honoured and recognised the contributions of the donors in helping disseminate the culture of voluntary blood donation in the society, and in helping the blood bank increase its supply of blood and blood components.
The event was sponsored by the Minister of Public Health and Supreme Council of Health Secretary-General HE Abdullah bin Khalid al-Qahtani.
Ten of the donors who were honoured have taken part in the platelets donation drive launched for the sake of patients suffering from cancer and blood diseases at the National Centre for Cancer Care and Research.
Among the long-time donors were Abdul, who has been donating blood for the past 44 years, Amr Ibrahim Ahmed Hussan (31 years), Kuftah Awad al-Mousa (24 years), Mazen Mohamed Ahmed Hassaf (21 years), and Ibrahim Saad Mubarak al-Sulaiti (20 years).
On June 14, countries worldwide celebrate World Blood Donor Day with events to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.
The six official sponsors of this year’s recognition ceremony, who were also honoured, included platinum sponsors Commercialbank, Qatargas, Qatar Steel Company, and Regency Group Holding, and gold sponsors Qatar Chemical Company and Al-Muftah Group.