NEWS
Dubai Blood Donation Center retains AABB accreditation, achieves 100% compliance Dr. Hussain Al Samt, Director of Pathology and Genetics Department at the DHA, said, "We are incredibly proud of our team at the DBDC who have maintained the highest level of quality with regard to all aspects of blood collection, processing, testing, storage and distribution. This accreditation highlights the high-level of standards that are followed at the center. International accreditations are important to benchmark ourselves and play an important role in the delivery of safe and high-quality services."
Dr. Hussain Al Samt
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he Dubai Health Authority’s Dubai Blood Donation Centre (DBDC) was re-accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) after adhering to 100 percent compliance. The center first received its AABB accreditation in 2012 making it the first center in the UAE and one of the few centers in the Middle East region to achieve this accreditation. Since then the center has maintained its accreditation status and has been re-accredited every two years.
The AABB accreditation evaluates all aspects of the blood transfusion chain right from the vein of the donor to the vein of the patient. Al Samt highlighted the fact that the blood donation center is the main blood donation center in Dubai that collects 50 percent of the total blood collected in the country. In 2020, more than 66,000 donors visited the center and 49,500 units of blood were collected. It supplies blood and blood products to all the DHA hospitals as well as 40 private hospitals in Dubai. The DBDC organized 658 mobile blood donation campaigns in 2020. An independent study conducted in 2020 highlighted that customer happiness and trust for the DBDC was 97 percent. Regular blood donation takes 15 minutes, while platelet collection takes 45 minutes to one hour. Thalassemia patients require regular blood transfusions every few weeks.
Platelet collections are also vital and needed by cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Since platelets are blood cells critical to stopping bleeding, these are used in life-threatening bleeding situationspost-surgery or after accidents. The center is located on the premises of Latifa Hospital and carries out mobile blood donation drives across the community in Dubai.
Ajman University inaugurates COVID-19 testing, vaccination center
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n cooperation with the Ajman Medical Zone and Tamouh Health Care, Ajman University launched a coronavirus vaccination center that also offers PCR and DPI testing services. The center’s launch is part of an academic partnership between Ajman University and Tamouh Healthcare. It is located in the Sheikh Zayed Exhibitions and Conferences Hall and provides free services to all citizens and the university’s students and staff. The center also operates throughout the week 12 hours a day except on Fridays and has separate rooms for men and women and the appropriate equipment required by medical staff for coronavirus tests and vaccinations. People wishing to undergo coronavirus tests or receive the vaccine are required to adhere to relevant precautionary measures, including wearing face masks and ensure social distancing. They must also present their Emirati ID.
MAR.APR 2021
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