JEDDAH: All types of blood is available in Makkah hospitals to face any situation, Mohammad Balgeith, director of laboratories and blood banks department in Makkah, has said.

“Plans to launch blood donation campaigns were already prepared a month ahead of the Haj season to face any emergency cases,” he was quoted by local media as saying on Sunday.

“All blood banks have in store enough blood quantities to face any situation. The central blood bank will cover any shortage and blood banks can demand support if needed,” said Balgeith.

He said the blood banks are not in need of blood donors in view of Friday’s crane accident because the banks were already prepared to face such an eventuality as per the directives of the Ministry of Health and the Health Affairs Department in

Makkah.

Meanwhile, thousands of blood donors filled the corridors and entrances of the emergency departments of hospitals. A woman in her sixties and her seven daughters were seen begging with the medical staff to take blood from them and help the injured.

Abdul Wahab Shalabi, media spokesman at the Makkah Health Department, was quoted as saying that hospitals have more than 2,000 units of blood. “Hospitals that received the injured were provided with 340 blood units,” the spokesman said.