The political turbulence in Egypt today has not prevented many people from working in the shadows to ensure that the sick, especially children who are victims of illness and disease,
The political turbulence in Egypt today has not prevented many people from working in the shadows to ensure that the sick, especially children who are victims of illness and disease, receive the best possible care.
As Cairo celebrated World Blood Donor Day on 14 June, Watani found itself in an excellent position to gain insight into many worthy efforts on the medical and health arena in Egypt.
The first World Blood Donor Day was held in 2004 at the 58th World Health Assembly. The international community this year celebrated World Blood Donor Day under the theme “Every Blood Donor is a Hero”.
Every blood donor is a hero
The World Health Organisation (WHO) regional office celebrated the day in Cairo with the purpose of motivating members of the community to donate blood voluntarily. A donation campaign was held at which multi-national employees, international experts and administrators gave blood. The National Blood Transfusion Centre installed a unit at the entrance of the building equipped with beds, blood sampling equipment and trained nurses to collect thepersonal data and medical history of each donor.
WHO deputy regional director Naima al-Gasseer took the lead in volunteering to give blood.During the process, Dr Gasseer explained the essential information of which every blood donor should be aware. It takes from 20 to 40 minutes to give blood. First, a haemoglobin test ensures that the donor is not anaemic, which would eliminate him or her.
When blood is drawn from a person, a blood sample is immediately tested for hepatitis C and B, HIV/AIDS and syphilis. The blood group is also determined. If any medical condition is detected, the donor is informed so as to take steps to arrange treatment, and in this case the blood that has been drawn is discarded. If the donated blood is safe, it is stored.
A donor who has recently visited the dentist must not give blood because of the possibility of contracting a viral infection from non-sterilised dental equipment.
Blood can be given regularly by anyone between the ages of 18 and 60; every four months for women and every three months for men.
“A drop of blood is worth a life”
The Ministry of Health and Population and other partners who support blood donation activities, including the Egyptian Red Crescent and the Swiss Embassy, joined WHO and the International Committee of the Red Cross in celebrating the day. NGOs were recognised for their outstanding role in encouraging and promoting voluntary blood donation.
Participants told first hand stories of people who had been on the verge of death but were
saved thanks to the blood they received. Truly, “a drop of blood is worth a life”.
Celebration aside, the realisation loomed that there is an unfortunate shortage of blood in most parts of the world, especially in developing countries like Egypt. Although there are 92 million blood donors around the world, most are in high-income nations which only need 15 per cent of the available blood supplies. Meanwhile 80 per cent of those in need of blood transfusion in developing countries only receive 20 per cent of their needs.
There are 62 nations worldwide in which blood supplies are fully dependent on voluntary blood donations, as opposed to 40 that rely on relatives or family members as blood donors,
or in some cases on people who are paid to give blood. Alaa Eddin al-Alwan, regional manager of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, which comprises 22 countries including Egypt, stressed that the blood supply in the Eastern Mediterranean is not sufficient. Lebanon and Bahrain are the only two countries in the region to have achieved a 100 per cent rate of blood supply dependant on donations. WHO aims to obtain all its blood supply from regular voluntary donors by 2020. Obtaining virus-free blood is another major challenge.
Regular donation
Mohsen al-Alfi, professor of pediatric haematology at Ain Shams University and chairman of the Egyptian Society of Paediatric Haematology and the Artery of Giving Association, deals closely with patients for whom blood transfusion is a matter of life and death. He said theArtery of Giving Association had set a four-year motivational programme for blood donation entitled ‘Ambassadors of Giving’. The programme ran from 2008 to 2011. Many
artists, media figures and socialites took part in the programme, including actors Mahmoud Qabil and Mona Zaki as well as TV anchorman Amr al-Leithi. The presence of these public figures as role models encouraged hundreds of young people to donate blood.
Despite the large amount of blood that was gathered during the programme, however, the concept of donating blood to an unknown patient is still not widely accepted, and donors only come forward at times of crisis and disaster. One of the main problems is that blood can only be stored for a period of 35 to 42 days; so, blood banks must constantly be updated and supported. Despite the noticeable increase in blood centres, clinics and banks all over Egypt,
he said, they still only receive one million blood bags every year—just a quarter of the blood needed.
Dr Alfi says the association’s target is to form a group of regular blood donors who will give blood two or three times a year; he himself has already donated blood more than 50 times. The group that is mostly targeted for donation is 18 to 35 year-olds, who represent 80 per cent of actual donors.
The Red Crescent
On previous celebrations of World Blood Donor Day, the WHO collaborated with the Egyptian Red Crescent Society to plan events. This year, however, Red Crescent’s name was left off the invitation and the accompanying literature. However Mamdouh Gabr, secretary-general of the Red Crescent, was among the main speakers. Dr Gabr told Watani that the Red Crescent, whose name and activities were closely linked with its honorary president, Egypt’s former first lady, Suzanne Mubarak, found its name tainted after the Mubarak regime toppled.
Dr Gabr explained that for the past five years the Red Crescent, a member of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, had been campaigning and collecting large quantities of donor blood to boost the quantities available in blood banks. He said the society held an annual international convention that was usually attended by representatives of the international federation to exchange experiences and discuss the problems facing blood donation and safe blood preservation.
The blood centre’s affiliation to the Red Crescent ensures the safety of the blood. It was founded 15 years ago by a Swiss grant, since Switzerland, Gabr said, is the world guardian of
blood safety. The Red Crescent’s blood centre has six blood banks in Egypt that mainly help patients with haemophilia, sickle blood anaemia and leukaemia, the categories most in need of blood transfusion.
The number of children with thalassaemia visiting blood transfer clinics needing blood more than once a month, could exceed 25,000. There are also 5,000 children suffering from haemophilia and almost 1,500 with leukaemia.
Oasis of health and hope
During the celebrations for World Blood Donor Day, Watani met Fayza Abdel-Khaleq, the treasurer of the Friends of Children with Cancer Society (FCCS) who spoke to us about FCCS’s latest project, the Oasis of Health and Hope.
FCCS was founded in 1992 to offer chemotherapy free of charge to children receiving treatment for cancer in public hospitals. FCCS also works with parents to promote awareness of how to care for their children during and after their illness and how to avoid complications.
The Oasis of Health and Hope was set up on a 10-feddan plot of land in Wadi al-Natroun in the Western Desert given to the FCCS as a donation. In its first phase it is accommodating sick children and their families who stay there to recuperate between chemotherapy sessions. Since last April the oasis has welcomed between three and five children at a time, along with their mothers and one sibling, for a three-day stay. During their stay the children are offered three substantial and nutritious meals daily, in addition to two snacks.
“Studies show that good nutrition for children with cancer while they are undergoing chemotherapy is a basic factor for the effectiveness of the treatment and the strengthening of their immune system,” Ms Abdel-Khaleq said. During their stay the mothers are offered awareness sessions on how to provide healthy diets for their sick children. If they wish, mothers can learn how to make fruit jam or tailor garments so as to augment their income.
Orchards and vegetables plots and a cattle farm have been set up on a 40-feddan plot nearby, also donated to the FCCS. A poultry farm is also planned. When all the phases of the project are completed the Oasis of Health and Hope will have room for 2,080 sick children a year. There will also be a medical team of resident doctors, supervisors and trainers.
“We’re still waiting for more donations to complete the project,” Ms Abdel Khaleq told Watani.
WATANI International
1 July 2012