The King Fahd Medical City blood donation drive conducted by its mobile blood bank has continued during Ramadan, although the number of donors has dropped substantially, according to a KFMC official. The mobile blood bank vehicle was stationed at Rawabi Park during the first week of Ramadan between 9:30 P.M. and 1:30 A.M. and received about 16 blood donors daily, said Abdul Majeed, KFMC Blood Bank Coordinator. “The decline in the number of blood donors is due to summer vacation when most people are away on holiday,” said Majeed. He said that this week the KFMC mobile blood bank is stationed at Al-Ranjhi Mosque near Shobra District from 9:30 P.M. to 1:30 A.M. During the third and fourth weeks of Ramadan, the mobile blood bank vehicle, which is a self-contained blood donor clinic, will be located at Al-Majd Mall (Exit 15) and KFMC Gate 4, respectively. “Due to the fact that people cannot donate blood while fasting, the mobile blood bank unit has changed its timing during Ramadan in order to provide a convenient time for people to donate blood,” he said. He said people continue to donate the usual quantity of 380 ml to 450 ml of blood during Ramadan. The mobile blood bank vehicle is a mobile medical center and blood collection vehicle which visits different parts of the city even during Ramadan, the holy month of fasting. The mobile blood donation unit is nearly 40-feet long, 80-feet wide and 15-feet high and from the outside looks like a large bus. Donors are welcomed at interview booths where they answer questions about their medical history and have their general health evaluated, including tests to determine their blood sugar level and blood pressure and whether they have any communicable disease. After they have donated blood, people are offered refreshment and are encouraged to drink coffee or juice. Majeed earlier told Saudi Gazette that on instructions from the Ministry of Health, KFMC has intensified its blood donation drive to meet emergencies that may occur during Ramadan, as pilgrims from across the world begin arriving in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah. He said that KFMC is preparing to send about 200 units of blood to the Central Blood Bank in Makkah for emergency use.
