RIYADH - Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ) Riyadh Chapter organized its 94th blood donation camp in coordination with King Fahd Medical City (KFMC) on Friday. The campaign, which started early Friday morning, collected 95 units of blood for this year's Haj pilgrims. Voluntary donors from various nationalities gathered at the hospital premises while a large number of expatriates mostly from the Tamil Nadu community from south India pledged to donate blood on a regular basis. TNTJ volunteers helped the hospital staff in registration and coordination. A standard health screening procedure was followed prior to blood donation. Each donor underwent tests for blood pressure, sugar, hemoglobin count and communicable diseases before being allowed to donate blood. The Riyadh Chapter TNTJ Blood Donation Campaign Coordinator Ahamed Mukthar said, "TNTJ has conducted blood donation campaigns in coordination with KFMC and KSMC hospitals for the last 16 years and so far more than 90 camps have been held in Riyadh. Furthermore, every year TNTJ organizes a campaign especially for the requirements of Haj and Umrah pilgrims. In recognition of TNTJ's voluntary donation camps, the Saudi Ministry of Health has given TNTJ a number of awards every year during International Blood Donors day. By the grace of Almighty Allah, the Riyadh TNTJ chapter has continued to see a high number of voluntary blood donors for the last 16 years." KFMC Blood Bank Chairman Dr. Ammar Al-Zohiar and his team provided full support to TNTJ volunteers and thanked TNTJ organizers for organizing such noble work. Riyadh TNTJ Vice President Mohamed Ameen said, "TNTJ organizes voluntary blood donation campaigns according to the verse of the Holy Qur'an (Chapter 5 verse 32): ‘Whoever saves a life will be as if he has saved the entire mankind.'" "Blood donation camps have been conducted in several parts of Riyadh in recent weeks and more than 240 units (about 108.45 liters) of blood has been donated so far to support the needs of Haj pilgrims for this year on behalf of Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ) Riyadh Chapter," he added. "And our organization regularly conducts such camps across Gulf chapters as well. We hope that such camps provide an opportunity to understand the true teachings of Islam and create social harmony among religions," he said. -SG
