The Director-General of MOH Laboratories and Blood Banks, Dr. Ali bin Sa'd Al-Shammari, has stressed that the rate of blood units stored in Riyadh region during the period from 28/4/2013 to 10/5/2013 (corresponding to 18/06/1434 H. until the end of the same month), is more than 10 thousand blood units, given that this rate is deemed to be appropriate to the international standards of blood units numbers that must be provided for the population, as well as the number of hospital beds and the previous statistics.
Furthermore, Dr. Al-Shammari went on adding that all units and components of blood stored at MOH blood banks are provided by blood donors including citizens and residents inside the Kingdom. It is worth mentioning that the MOH is prohibited to buy blood from abroad in the implementation of the Royal Decree ordering not to import blood from abroad since 1405 H.
Dr. Al-Shammari has pointed out that some blood types are rare. Proceeding from the MOH keenness to provide these types, it has submitted a circular to all blood banks in the Kingdom’s regions and governorates; in order to develop a mechanism for providing these types regularly, by means of establishing lists of blood donors of these rare blood types; so as to call them when needed to donate their blood for securing these types. Meanwhile, there is cooperation with some security sectors to attract blood donors in case of shortage during crises.
Within the same vein, Dr. Al- Shammari has expounded that the blood banks are capable, Allah willing, of providing any quantity and quality of the blood types for citizens at the moment; given that there is a plan for stockpiles, and another for emergency. For example, the Kingdom is working on providing blood and its components, through the annual plan comprising all health sectors during the pilgrimage season to provide blood to the pilgrims every year.