TEHRAN — It has been three years that Iranians commemorate Imam Hussein (AS) martyrdom by donating blood on the ninth and tenth days of the mourning month of Muharram, called Tasu’a and Ashura.

According to Iran’s Blood Transfusion Organization (IBTO) spokesman Bashir Hajibeigi, blood donation grows fivefold on these two days compared to any other times of the year.

Ali-Akbar Pourfatollah, IBTO director, has also pointed out that this year some 15,000 units of blood were collected nationwide on the ninth day of Muharram.

Blood donation on the ninth and tenth days of Muharram is being turned into a tradition where people do an act of altruism to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussein and his followers in the battle of Karbala.

However, it’s been suggested on multiple occasions that those interested in donating blood do not only limit themselves to a special time and donate blood all year round as blood products cannot be stored for a long time and blood products accumulated of over a short period of time might go to waste.

MQ/MG