Blood bank at King Fahad Medical City (KFMC)
Each day approximately 2000 units of blood components are needed to sustain a minimum supply for patients of KFMC and other governmental and non-governmental hospitals in Riyadh. Educating the public about the continuous need for blood, recruiting new donors and retaining registered donors is our first obligation to maintain an adequate blood supply.
Donated blood components are essential to a wide range of treatments including cancer, maternal deliveries, children, trauma, sickle cell, organ transplant, surgeries and many more. Less than half of all blood donations come from blood drives organized and hosted by volunteers at businesses, mosques, universities and office buildings. Blood drives can be indoors at host facilities with adequate space and amenities, or on KFMC specially-designed bloodmobiles. We are able to save lives only through the valuable donation of blood from our donors.
What is blood?
Blood is a red liquid that carries oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body, and carries carbon dioxide and other waste products back to the lungs, kidneys and liver for disposal. It fights infection and helps heal wounds.
Do you know?
There is no substitute for human blood. If patients lose blood from surgery or injury or if their bodies can’t produce enough, we can get blood only from volunteer blood donors.
Types of donation:
Whole Blood:
A whole blood donation is the traditional way of donating blood.
About one pint of blood is drawn during a whole blood donation into a specialized sealed and sterile bag. Samples from every donation are sent to our laboratory for typing and testing. 11 different tests are conducted on the blood including hepatitis, and HIV. When the blood is cleared, it is separated in to three different blood components – red blood cells, platelets and plasma. Within just a few days, the donor’s blood is sent to KFMC hospitals and centers for transfusion.
Platelets:
Platelets are the component of blood that stops bleeding.
Platelet donations are needed every day and are used in large quantities and over extended periods of time by leukemia, cancer, aplastic anemia and marrow transplant patients. Because platelets only have a shelf life of 5 days, they are used immediately so we are always in great need.
