Ronaldo kicks off DHA blood donation drive

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) launched on Monday the ‘BE THE 1’ blood donation campaign in partnership with Real Madrid football star Cristiano Ronaldo.

Donating blood helps save millions of lives each year. Blood and blood products are essential not only for emergency medical situations but also for long-term treatments. The aim of the campaign is to encourage the youth to regularly donate blood and help save lives.

Humaid Al Qatami, chairman of the board and director-general of DHA and other officials kicked off the campaign by donating blood at the Dubai Blood Donation Center (DBDC).

“Each blood donation can help save potentially three lives and donating blood takes only 15 minutes while platelet collection takes 45 minutes to one hour,” stressed Al Qatami.

“Our message to the community is to continue supporting us for this humanitarian cause. All the blood and blood products collected at the DBDC is solely through voluntary donations.”

As part of this campaign, DHA’s blood donation buses will hold mobile blood donation camps across different locations in Dubai to encourage the community to donate blood.

The DHA also launched an extensive advertising campaign across different media channels for the #BeThe1Donor movement for which Ronnaldo is the first global ambassador.

Al Qatami said the campaign already has all the elements of success. “Giving and helping others is among the noble characteristics of the people of the UAE and this we have learned first-hand from our wise leadership.”

Dubai’s previous blood campaign ‘My Blood for My Country’, was a huge success and recorded an increase of 24,000 units in one year.

The DBDC is the first centre in the UAE and one of the few centres in the Middle East to achieve the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) accreditation.

Al Qatami said that in 2015, the DBDC conducted 631 blood donation campaigns and collected 48,297 blood units in addition to 5,149 platelet units that was distributed to public and private sector hospitals across Dubai.

Dr Mai Raouf, director of the DBDC added, “I like to inform the public that it is safe to donate blood every eight weeks, and platelets up to 24 times a year. Blood donation takes only 15 minutes and in return it provides patients with a life-line.”

The DBDC is located in the premises of Latifa Hospital. Donors can walk-in to donate blood from 7.30 am to 7 pm on weekdays.  Those interested can call the centre at 04-2193221.

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