King Saud University launched a blood donation campaign to support dwindling blood bank stocks and fill shortages at several hospitals in Riyadh, including its own hospitals in the Saudi capital.

KSU’s public relations and media department on Friday said: “A blood donation campaign to support dwindling blood bank stocks at King Saud University’s various hospitals was launched this week.”

Abdulaziz Alsadhan, dean of distance and e-learning, KSU launched the campaign under the slogan “a drop of your blood revives them."

Alsadhan said the campaign was launched to tide over severe shortages at hospital blood banks in the city.

He added that it was important to show solidarity with patients in need, and to help spread a culture of donating blood among KSU students and employees.

Students and staffs have come out to give blood in the blood donation campaign, which has so far witnessed a huge turnout, particularly of employees at the distance and e-learning faculty.

KSU has organized blood donation camps earlier also with huge success. The first donation center in the Preparatory Year Hall witnessed many staff and students coming to give blood over the five days it operated from May 4.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a goal to obtain 100 percent of blood supplies from voluntary donors.

It observes June 14 as World Blood Donor day every year to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank volunteers for their life-saving gifts of blood. According to health experts an adult can safely donate blood once every two to three months, and not more than five times per year.

During a typical donation, an adult gives around 8 percent of their blood, with white blood cells and platelets replaced in three to seven days, and red blood cells replaced within a month of donation, said Dr. Shahid, a Riyadh based physician.