An MoH spokesman said the ministry has enough stock in all its blood banks to serve patients in all parts of the Kingdom.

The ministry official made it clear that the blood units are available in accordance with international standards and could cater to the requirements of the number of hospital beds and to the population in the Kingdom.

“At present we have 9,000 units of blood in addition to a sufficient number of units of frozen plasma and platelets and deposits of cold plasma,” he added.

The official said there are 152 blood banks throughout the Kingdom, which include 15 central blood banks, 17 large blood banks and 120 more to cover all the regions and governorates.

A royal decree, issued in 1984, says the ministry should not import blood from abroad. “It is collected from volunteers within the Kingdom, who donate their blood regularly,” said the official, adding that the various health directorates in the Kingdom make their own arrangements with the blood donors to contribute to this worthy cause.

He stressed the fact that the blood banks in the Kingdom can provide any quantity of blood in any blood group at the moment. He added that there is a contingency plan to stock more blood to provide services to the guests of Allah, who come for Haj.

An official from the general directorate of Blood Banks and Laboratories, said donors can donate blood at their own convenience. He also pointed out there are 20,000 voluntary blood donors who have been awarded the Third Degree Medal from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for their services to the nation. Every year more than 500,000 voluntary blood donors are registered with the blood banks throughout the Kingdom. "Some of these donors give blood several times, depending on their physical health," the official said.

Last month, hundreds of Indian expatriates came to King Fahd Medical City (KFMC) in Riyadh to commemorate their country's Republic Day. Volunteers donated around 111 liters of blood as a mark of respect to their motherland, which had made them what they are today.

The Riyadh police launched a similar campaign to collect blood from its officers last year.