Iran identifies 1,200 donors of rare blood types
Iran identified 1,200 donors of rare blood types, making it the first Muslim country to join the International Rare Donor Panel, the Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization (IBTO) said on Thursday.
IBTO’s Deputy for Technical and Innovative Technologies, Ebadollah Salekmoqaddam, speaking on the National Rare Blood Day, said that Iran had successfully registered 354 units of rare frozen blood, stored at a chilling -80 degrees Celsius, reserved for emergency injections to patients in need, IRNA reported.
Out of around 40,000 nationwide blood donors examined, 1,200 have been recognized as donors of rare blood type, comprising 95% men and 5% women, Salekmoqaddam added.
“If a person’s blood group is found in only one to five individuals per thousand, it is considered rare. If it is not found in a population of 5,000 or more, it is considered extremely rare,” he said.
Iran becomes the 16th country to join the 27 nations capable of technologically and scientifically distinguishing rare blood types.
Regarding the process of rare blood supply and maintenance, Salekmoqaddam said that after identifying individuals with rare blood type, their donated blood would undergo special preparation methods.
“Preservatives are added, and the blood is stored at -80 degrees Celsius to be readily available for patients in need.”
Currently, 100 units of extremely rare blood types are stored in the IBTO’s rare blood bank, with 170 donors
identified.