JEDDAH: Hundreds of residents and citizens are flocking to hospitals and mobile blood banks located in commercial centers to donate blood in what they described as the least they can do to show their support for the Palestinians in Gaza.
King Faisal Specialist Hospital (KFSH) started accepting blood donations Saturday night for those injured in the Israeli attacks on Gaza.
KFSH officials in Riyadh said that they have received over 1,000 donors so far. The KFSH in Jeddah has received more than 300 people. More than 700 bags of blood have been collected, according to Dr. Hind Al-Humaidan, the director of the KFSH blood bank in Riyadh. None of the current donated blood reserves has been sent, as officials are awaiting further instructions.
“The age of donors has ranged between 17 and 65 years,” said Al-Humaidan.
Najeb Yamani, the head of Community Programs at the KFSH in Jeddah, said that the number of donors is increasing. Text messages are being circulated encouraging residents to donate blood.
Muhammad Al-Ghamdi, a 27-year-old teacher, said he was informed through a text message about the blood drive. “I went to donate blood with a group of friends and I was surprised to see all these people waiting,” Al-Ghamdi said. “People from different nationalities and ages were waiting in line for the donation ... However, not everyone was accepted.”
Najla Adel, a 25-year-old postgraduate student, said that she went to donate blood and the huge numbers of donors waiting in queue amazed her. “I was informed through e-mails and I called the numbers and checked — then I went there,” Adel said. “I was really touched by the presence of so many donors ... All theses people came just to help, it’s amazing.”
Mobile blood banks were set up yesterday at a number of Jeddah’s shopping malls, including one by the King Abdulaziz University Hospital at Al-Serafi Mega Shopping Mall.
Blood donations are being received from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and will continue up until Thursday, said organizers. Donors are screened to ensure that they are not carrying blood-borne infections.
A number of Facebook groups sponsored by local youths are encouraging their members to take part in donating blood for the injured Palestinians. Uhood Al-Hobani, a young Saudi woman in her 20s, wrote on Facebook: “It’s the least that we can do. I know that other people are taking part in demonstrations around the world in support of the Palestinians, something that we can’t do here. So we work with what we have to show our support.”
— With input from Nuha Adlan
