Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority and Dubai Heath Authority Organise Blood Donation Drive

Dubai-UAE: 27 February, 2011 – Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA), the integrated free zone technology park, in collaboration with Dubai Health Authority (DHA), today organised a one-day blood donation drive at the DSOA headquarters.

Volunteers from DSO and its customers participated in the sixth consecutive annual blood donation drive and helped in the collection of 100 blood units.

Dr. Juma Al Matrooshi, Executive Vice President – Corporate Excellence and Support at Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority, said: “We are proud of the huge turnout for this community-oriented programme. It is an on-going commitment and underscores our strong conviction that corporate responsibility is more than just a mere one-time activity.

“By cooperating with the Dubai Blood Donation Centre of DHA and organising blood donation camps, we seek to contribute to narrowing the supply gap for blood and blood products at hospitals and blood banks.”

The Dubai Blood Donation Centre arranged for the delivery of the donated blood units to blood banks at hospitals across the city. The donated blood will benefit patients with Thalassemia and heart diseases as well as victims of accidents and other mishaps.

Dr. Layla Al Shaer, Consultant and Head of Dubai Blood Donation Centre from DHA, said: “We are grateful to Dubai Silicon Oasis for this community-oriented initiative that will help us achieve our objective and increase the inventory status of the blood units. We invite other entities and organisations to emulate DSO’s initiative and take similar measures that benefit the community.”

DSO assigned an area for individuals to register as donors where a quick medical examination was conducted and case history recorded.

According to recent statistics issued by the Dubai Centre for Blood Donation, the annual number of blood units that have been collected during 2010 rose to 33,000 units. A total of 12,864 units were offered to the Thalassemia Centre and 14,103 units to public hospitals – 7,569 units for Rashid Hospital, 4,147 units for Dubai Hospital and 2,387 units for Al Wasl Hospital. Private hospitals received 1,463 units during the year.