The American Association of Blood Banks recently selected Dr. Arwa bint Zakaria bin Yahya Al Riyamiya (Senior Consultant in Hematology at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital) as its first Arab ambassador.
In communication with “Atheer”, Dr. Arwa initially expressed her happiness at being the first chosen from Arab countries, considering it an achievement for every Omani man and woman.
She added: “I consider this appointment a step in my scientific and practical journey and a great responsibility, as the American Association of Blood Banks is one of the most prominent organizations in the world in this field.”
Regarding the reasons for her selection as the organization’s ambassador, Al Riyamiya explained: “The American Association of Blood Banks contacted me directly as I have been a member since 2012, and I have had numerous involvements with them including: being included in the organization’s list of assessors for evaluating blood bank quality as the first Omani in this field, my annual participation in their conference with various scientific research, and my work as a supervisor in the program supporting emerging doctors in the field. The organization informed me of my nomination to represent them, and requested my full CV for review, including my experience in the field and my research and educational contributions. After that, I went through an evaluation phase to assess my knowledge of the organization and its principles and rules. After passing the evaluation phase, the organization informed me that I had been selected as one of their ambassadors.”
Al Riyamiya explained in her interview with “Atheer” that this assignment to represent the organization in various forums and conferences aims to introduce the organization, its vision, principles, core values, and various activities such as educational aspects, quality, support for blood banks, stem cell laboratories, and more.
Looking back, the blood consultant recounted her academic and professional journey. She graduated from the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University in 2005, then joined the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada to study hematology. There, she obtained a fellowship from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in 2011. She then practiced at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in the Hematology Department, focusing her interest and efforts on transfusion medicine, blood donation, medical education, medical research, and quality. She chaired the Blood Transfusion Committee and the Blood Donation Committee at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in 2013, and was nominated for membership in the National Blood Transfusion Committee at the Ministry of Health last year.
She continues: “I have been leading the quality team at the University Blood Bank in applying the Canadian accreditation principles for Sultan Qaboos University Hospital since 2013, and I also work as a member of the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital Council representing medical laboratories. In the field of medical education, I have taught transfusion science and hematology at both the College of Medicine and Health Sciences and the Oman Medical Specialty Board. I was chosen as the director of the Hematology Program at the Oman Medical Specialty Board and a member of the Executive Council of the Oman Medical Specialty Board this year.”
Dr. Arwa pointed out that her interest in transfusion science began at the start of her career, where she joined both the American Association of Blood Banks and the International Society of Blood Transfusion. She also participates annually in evaluating and accrediting various blood banks in the region at the organization’s request. She has conducted numerous studies in the field of hematology, especially in transfusion science, and has presented many research papers at the American Blood Banks Conference, the Canadian Transfusion Science Conference, and the World Transfusion Science Conference, in addition to her participation in regional conferences such as the Saudi Transfusion Medicine Conference and the UAE Hematology Conference. She also serves as a member of the editorial board of the Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal and has about 40 published scientific papers in the field of transfusion science and hematology. Additionally, she participates in evaluating research papers submitted to the World Transfusion Science Conference annually.
Regarding blood banks and what they lack, the doctor stated that they are incomplete without a sufficient number of continuous voluntary blood donors. The need for blood is continuous and increasing, not limited to a specific patient, but includes a large group of patients such as those with hereditary blood diseases like sickle cell anemia and thalassemia, cancer patients, and road accident victims, with numbers increasing every year. She called for the importance of instilling the value of donation and its importance among community members, especially the youth, to meet the need of blood banks to support patients. This requires specialized services to attract donors and community members and educate them to support blood banks throughout the year, especially during holidays and festivals.
Dr. Arwa said: “My concept of volunteering is to make any effort that serves the community without compensation. In the field of blood donation, I consider it an important aspect to carry the message of blood donation to community members, and it has different aspects. There are those who voluntarily donate their blood without compensation, and those who donate their time by participating in organizing campaigns or promoting them and spreading the culture of blood donation in their environment. My interest in blood donation began during my studies at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University, where I worked within a team of student volunteers to motivate students to donate blood at the university blood bank.”
Al Riyamiya concluded her interview with “Atheer” by saying, “Praise be to God, Lord of the Worlds, for His guidance, and I dedicate this achievement to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said – may God protect and preserve him – who has focused his full attention since the beginning of the blessed renaissance on supporting Omani women, their education, and their entry into the workforce to participate in the renaissance journey. I thank all those who supported me in my scientific and practical journey, especially my father and mother who always sought to educate and support me, and the administration of Sultan Qaboos University and the University Hospital for their continuous support of the University Blood Bank’s journey. I ask God for success in representing the organization to the fullest and in an honorable manner for my country.”
