King Abdulaziz Hospital in Al Ahsa (KAH) launched a blood donation vehicle, supervised by the Blood Bank Division at the hospital. A campaign in the King Abdulaziz Mechanized Brigade (KAAB) in Al Ahsa. The Regional Executive Director of Ministry of National Guard - Health Affairs in the Eastern Region, Dr. Ahmad Al Arfaj, pointed out that this blood donation vehicle is an integrated and mobile clinic that will enable us to reach donors wherever they are.
Moreover, he said that the vehicle with its advanced potential, will achieve a quantum leap in the field of blood donation, as it is equipped with all technologies and staff required for blood donation, adding that the plan is to receive in the first phase from 40 to 50 donors, later on the donor number will be increased".
Dr. Al Arfaj explained that the vehicle contains two screening rooms, waiting area, five beds for withdrawing blood, rest area for donors, refrigerator for meals, monitors to raise awareness, devices to measure iron levels, blood pressure and temperature, as well as apparatus for blood withdrawal. He added: "By this vehicle, we plan to reach donors in places such as markets, malls, government and private sectors in order to spread the culture of blood donation".
He said: "we have a full year project and we expect the vehicle to achieve our goals in facilitating outreach to the donors. In the past years, we have achieved successes in Blood Bank and Blood Donation Program, and we have a documented database for such campaigns."
The Commander of King Abdulaziz Mechanized Brigade, Major General Mohammed bin Abdulhadi Al Qahtani, participated in the first campaign on this occasion along with the Military Field Medicine Commander of the Eastern Region, Brigadier Madani Ali Bedaiwi, and a group of officers and military personnel.