HMC launches Qatar’s first Frozen Packed Red Blood Cell service

Doha, Qatar: Hamad Medical Corporation s (HMC) Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology (DLMP), Division of Transfusion Medicine has launched Q...

Doha, Qatar: Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology (DLMP), Division of Transfusion Medicine has launched Qatar’s first Frozen Packed Red Blood Cell (PRBC) service.

This pioneering initiative represents a monumental advancement in ensuring the availability of life-saving blood products for patients with rare blood types and those requiring specialized transfusions.

Frozen Packed Red Blood Cells (PRBCs) are a special type of blood product used in transfusions. Blood has liquid (plasma) and solid (cells) parts. PRBCs are mostly red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body using a protein called hemoglobin.

To make frozen PRBCs, most of the plasma and other parts of the blood are removed, leaving a concentrated amount of red blood cells. These cells are then mixed with a special substance to protect them during freezing and stored at very low temperatures for up to 30 years. This keeps the cells working properly until they are thawed and used. Before use, these frozen units are thawed at 37°C, and the glycerol is carefully removed to make them safe for transfusion.

Dr. Einas Al Kuwari, Chair of the DLMP said the launch of the service marks a significant step forward in patient safety and care.