How And Where Expats Living In Saudi Arabia Can Donate Blood?
Where Should You Start?
This article will cover how and where expats can donate blood in Saudi Arabia and the eligibility requirements of volunteers to make you aware of the process.
Why Should You Donate Blood?
At present, there is no substitute for human blood. Donating blood in Saudi Arabia can help save precious lives. Thus, if young and old lose blood due to surgery, injury, or if their body cannot produce enough blood, they can only get blood from voluntary donors.
What’s The Requirement To Donate Blood?
Blood banks in Saudi Arabia rely on voluntary donors. To become a blood donor, you must meet at least the following:
- You should have a valid ID (Saudi Aramco ID, National ID, or Passport/IQMAMA),
- Must be at least 17 years old.
- Weigh at least 110 pounds (50 kg)
- Must be in good health.
- You have not donated blood in the last eight weeks.
- Other requirements may vary by hospital and health centre.
Can You Donate Blood After Getting The Vaccine?
According to the American Red Cross, you can donate blood after receiving the Covid 19 vaccine. If you are not sure, experts recommend you to give blood at least two weeks after vaccination. If you have been vaccinated against the coronavirus, it is best to consult a blood bank or hospital in Saudi Arabia first.
WHERE TO DONATE BLOOD?
(1)- Through Application:
The Ministry of Health had earlier launched the ‘Wateen’ aorta app for blood donation.
It is a non-profit initiative that raises awareness of the importance of voluntary blood donation and assures sufficient blood supply to blood banks across Saudi Arabia. The initiative also seeks to simplify the blood donation process through this application, to meet the needs of blood banks. The goal is to launch a regular donation campaign and improve the donor experience.
Features Of “WATEEN” Application:
- Blood donation eligibility for you
- You can even count your blood donation journey.
- You can also see a blood donation case in your city that needs immediate help with the same blood type.
- If the patient needs your assistance and you share the same blood group, it sends you a weekly notification.
- Inform you about the case regarding the patient to whom you give blood
- Show your functioning hours and blood donation centre area by means of Google Maps and Apple Maps.
Download the “WATEEN” application from the below link according to your device compatibility
ANDROID USERS: “WATEEN” IPHONE USERS: “WATEEN“
(2)- Through Hospitals:
You can also donate blood to the following hospitals in Saudi Arabia.
- King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center
- Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare.
- Dr. Erfan and Bagedo General Hospital
- King Fahd Medical City
NOTE: Eligibility to be a blood donor may vary from hospital to hospital. We recommend you call the hospital to inquire about voluntary donations.
