ABU DHABI // Donate blood before you travel this summer.
That is the message from blood banks in Abu Dhabi and Dubai who are anticipating plummeting stock levels in the coming weeks.
Ramadan and the summer months are traditionally the worst time of year for donations as those fasting do not donate, while expatriates often travel.
With the summer timing of the holy month, donations are anticipated to be lower than ever. This is despite a constant need for regular blood donors to help those with chronic conditions, such as thalassaemia, sickle-cell anaemia and cancer patients.
“This is the time where people are not around, so we do not expect many donations,” said Dr Laila Al Shaer, head of the Dubai Blood Donation Centre. The blood centre relies on between 150 and 200 people donating every single day.
“In Ramadan all the time we are trying to reach this number,” she said. “The difference with this month of the year is most of the people are scheduling their time off. Most of the people are on vacation and are not around.”
Because many expatriates leave the UAE during the holy month, Dr Al Shaer is urging those who can donate to do so before they depart.
Dr Al Shaer said employees at the blood bank often have to reach out to regular donors to help boost stocks during difficult periods.
In anticipation of the drop in donors, the blood bank increases its efforts to encourage more donors every year in the weeks leading up to Ramadan.
She is hoping a similar push this year will help the blood bank cope during July.
About a third of all blood stocks at the centre help those with thalassaemia, a blood disorder that affects haemoglobin and the red blood cell count, she said.
Blood banks only store freshly-donated blood for a maximum of six weeks but thalassaemia patients require blood that is as fresh as possible for greater benefit and so rely on regular donations.
“For thalassaemia patients they need fresh blood – maximum one week or five-days-old. That is why – even if we have some in our stock it will not be useful to them.”
Of the 43,000 units of blood collected at the blood bank last year, about 14,000 units were dedicated to thalassaemia patients.
After thalassaemia patients, the biggest strain on the blood bank is demand from the Rashid Hospital Trauma Centre. Units of blood are used to treat emergency patients.
With the centre under expansion, as well as more and more health facilities springing up across the emirates, the demand for blood stocks is ever increasing, she said.
Traditionally the blood bank has received an extra 2,000 donated units of blood year-on-year. The extra supplies has counteracted rising demand.
“But I think we have plateaued at this stage now,” said Dr Al Shaer.
Dr Naima Oumeziane, head of the Abu Dhabi Blood Bank (ADBB), agreed that Ramadan is typically the worst time of year for blood donations.
However those that do donate can help save a life, she said.
Like the Dubai Blood Donation Centre, ADBB has also stepped up a drive to encourage people to donate and has also amended its opening hours to help.
“We are working to prepare for Ramadan and summer time. We have intensified our blood campaigns to increase our blood inventory levels,” said Dr Oumeziane.
Anyone aged 17 or over and with a clean bill of health can donate blood and the procedure takes less than 30 minutes, she said.
“They can donate and save lives. Do it, try it. It doesn’t hurt and it helps in saving others.”
jbell@thenational.ae
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Roll of honour: Who won what in 2018/19?
West Asia Premiership: Winners – Bahrain; Runners-up – Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership: Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons
Dubai Rugby Sevens: Winners – Dubai Hurricanes; Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Conference: Winners – Dubai Tigers; Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
UAE v Ireland
1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets
2nd ODI, January 12
3rd ODI, January 14
4th ODI, January 16
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
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Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg
Liverpool v Bayern Munich, midnight (Wednesday), BeIN Sports
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