MUSCAT: In a strong show of community spirit, more than 130 people turned up to donate blood on Eid day at a camp organised at Sultan Qaboos Hospital, responding to a nationwide call to replenish dwindling blood bank stocks.
The camp, supported by the Salalah Travels Group, witnessed a steady stream of donors from early morning, with many choosing to participate immediately after Eid prayers, setting aside personal celebrations to contribute to the humanitarian cause.
Organised by Salalah Travels Group administrators — Siraj Zidan, Farooq Salalah, Usman Saiwan, Shihab Aladi and Anas Popes — the initiative saw overwhelming participation, forcing organisers to close registrations by the 1 pm deadline, with several willing donors unable to be accommodated.
The drive, which began at 8 am and continued until around 1:30 pm, was attended by several community representatives, including Abdul Nasser Latif (ICF) and members of INCAS Salalah such as Hari Cherthala, Salim Kodungallur, Harish Kumar, Vijay Manikaparambil, Shine Abdul Kalam, Lakshmi Kumar and Kalamka.
The campaign followed an appeal by the Department of Blood Banks and Central Blood Bank, which had highlighted a drop in blood reserves, particularly during holiday periods when regular donors are often unavailable.
“We need blood units at all our blood banks across the country, especially during holidays when donor turnout typically declines,” the department said in a statement, urging residents to consider blood donation a social and moral responsibility.
The strong turnout in Salalah underscores growing public awareness and willingness to support life-saving initiatives, even during festive occasions.
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