In collaboration with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) organised a blood donation campaign at West Bay Health Centre.
The campaign was based on the role of the PHCC in community responsibility entailing interaction with the society and outlining its service.
The campaign aimed at developing community awareness about the importance of donating blood, achieving the highest possible abundance of blood and enriching the blood bank stock to save the lives of the injured and the sick, and those who are subject to various surgical procedures.
Dr Wafaa al-Yousuf, director, West Bay Health Centre, said that this type of campaign is a manifestation of solidarity in a society whose members are caring of each other. Blood donation campaigns also raise the awareness of people about the importance of providing safe blood to help urgent cases resulting from road accidents or complex medical surgeries where a patient may require a single blood bag that costs the donor only a few minutes, she said.
Dr al-Yousuf added that blood donation has great humanitarian benefits as it gives us a new life-saving opportunity, and there is no other alternative to blood, and a single blood donation can save up to five lives.
Dr al-Yousuf said that blood donation reduces the risk of cancer, pointing out that scientists believe that blood donation helps to reduce the growth of cancers in the body and patients who donate blood regularly are less likely to develop cancer than non-donors.
She also praised the accompanying procedures for the campaign at the centre, where a special car was provided to donate blood by employees and visitors, and to invite neighboring schools and some government institutions to participate in this campaign and coordinate with the nursing department and administrative staff to facilitate the donors procedure and to prepare a light meal for them, in addition to coordination with media to cover the campaign.
She pointed out that one of the most important values cultivated by health centers are human values which encourage all groups of society to work together to save human lives and contribute to the reduction of the spread of dangerous diseases. (QNA)
