TEHRAN –The Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization is ready to launch a blood transfusion center to help Palestinians in Gaza.

"In cooperation with the Red Crescent Society, we are ready to set up a blood transfusion center equipped with laboratories and storage units in Palestine," Bashir Haji-Beigi, a spokesman for the Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization, said.

Iran ready to send humanitarian aid to Gaza

Some 730 billion rials (around $1.5 million) in humanitarian aid was collected from October 9 until November 8 for people in Gaza through a campaign launched by the Iranian Red Crescent Society.

The campaign aimed to raise funds to help the oppressed people of Gaza is still ongoing, ISNA quoted Vahid Salimi, an official with the IRCS, as saying on November 8.

He went on to say, “From the beginning of the official call for the campaign, more than 730 billion rials (almost $1.5 m) have been deposited by people into the official accounts of the Red Crescent Society.”

“Simultaneously, in addition to air cargo, a ship carrying humanitarian aid has been sent to Gaza with the cooperation of the Red Crescent Society of Hormozgan province from Shahid Rajaei port. Other shipments are being loaded in this port,” he added.

On November 7, Iran expressed readiness to provide the people of Gaza with humanitarian aid via Egypt amid a massive humanitarian crisis caused by the Israeli war against the Palestinian enclave. 

The announcement was made in a phone conversation between Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry.

Also, on November 3, the IRCS called the International Committee of the Red Cross to facilitate the process of dispatching humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Razieh Alishvandi, the IRCS director for international affairs, met with Vincent Cassard, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Iran.

The International Committee of the Red Cross should seriously intervene in the clear violation of international humanitarian law and condemn the Zionist regime's airstrikes in the Gaza Strip since it has violated many cases of the four Geneva Conventions, Alishvandi said, IRCS website reported.

Alishvandi stressed, “A safe way should be found to send relief supplies to this country. Iran's humanitarian shipments should reach the people of Gaza as soon as possible.”

A consignment weighing 20,000 tons is being prepared to be sent to Gaza from Iran, and we request the International Committee of the Red Cross to follow up on obtaining the necessary permits from the Egyptian government to send these shipments, she stated.

“Moreover, the Iranian Red Crescent Society is ready to provide medical services to the wounded and treat them by establishing three mobile hospitals along with sending experienced medical staff to Egypt (Palestine border).”

Blood donation in Iran

The average blood donation rate in Iran is 26 per thousand people which places the country in a good situation among other countries.

According to the World Health Organization, the median blood donation rate in high-income countries is 31.5 donations per 1000 people. This compares with 16.4 donations per 1000 people in upper-middle-income countries, 6.6 donations per 1000 people in lower-middle-income countries, and 5.0 donations per 1000 people in low-income countries.

Of the 118.5 million blood donations collected globally, 40% of these are collected in high-income countries, home to 16% of the world’s population.

In low-income countries, up to 54 % of blood transfusions are given to children under 5 years of age; whereas in high-income countries, the most frequently transfused patient group is over 60 years of age, accounting for up to 76% of all transfusions.

Based on samples of 1000 people, the blood donation rate is 31.5 donations in high-income countries, 16.4 donations in upper-middle-income countries, 6.6 donations in lower-middle-income countries, and 5.0 donations in low-income countries.

In the past Iranian calendar year, which ended on March 20, some 2.223 million blood donations were registered across the country, an increase of 9.3 percent compared to the year before.

The average blood donation rate in Eastern Mediterranean member countries is 14.4 per thousand populations, while the rate in Iran is around 25 per thousand, Jamali said in February.

MT/MG