MoH allows blood donation permits during lockdown
As part of its efforts to support blood banks, the Ministry of Health (MoH) announced that donors would be allowed to obtain a temporary permit during the night lockdown that will be in place throughout Ramadan.
‘Due to the urgent need for the continuity of donating blood and its derivatives, and in order to facilitate donation, coordination has been made between the Ministry of Health and the competent authorities to allow donors to go to the blood banks during the night lockdown,’ the ministry said. ‘Donors can contact the blood banks to book an appointment for their donation and obtain blood donor permits.’
Donors can contact blood banks via WhatsApp number 94555648. The MoH said the permit would be temporary and would be limited to the day indicated. Blood banks will function from 8am to 12.30pm and 7pm to 11.30pm.
Muscat Daily on Tuesday reported that the rising number of COVID-19 cases and the night lockdown may severely affect voluntary blood donation in the sultanate. In previous years, donors could approach the Department of Blood Services after iftar in the evening.
An official at the Department of Blood Services in Bausher said non-Muslims can come forward to donate and expats can make use of new guidelines regarding donation.
“Previously, an expatriate was not allowed to donate blood for a period of one year after their travel out of the country and return. Owing to the high demand of blood supplies resulting from the pandemic, we have reduced the duration to three months,” the official said.