Zainab Salim Alarimi

Obtained MD from the SQU and my fellowship in Hematopathology from the Royal College of Pathology of Australasia (RCPA) in Sydney. Work experience: I worked as a fellow at the Australian Red Cross Blood Service (ARCB). In my role as a director for the Blood banks, I am responsible for the overall organization and management of the Blood Banks services in Oman, supervising 12 Regional blood banks to ensure that all the resources are available to ensure blood safety. I am actively involved in all major activities and the strategic planning related to the development of the blood banks, blood safety and quality improvements of the blood banks in Oman. During my current post, I worked with other Departments and members at the MOH, and I lead a number of projects with the aim to improve the blood banks services and complete them successfully. These projects include Establishing the National Blood Transfusion Committee and completing multiple national transfusion guidelines within that committee, establishing a Central NAT testing project for all the MOH blood banks which currently covers around 100000 donations annually, Linkage of the Donor data by the National Blood Donor Registry, linking 12 blood banks under one donor data base, development of the Immunohematology laboratory by introducing new tests to improve the patient's transfusion management including Sickle cell Disease , introduction of leukodepletion gradually in 12 blood banks, and establishing external communication with RCRL in Bristol for difficult immunohematology cases., HTLV I/II testing and Malaria testing, Dengue screening for the donors who visited Malaria endemic Areas, Dengue fever NAT testing, as well as standardizing the mandatory Donor testing and management algorithm for the all the MOH blood banks to ensure sustainability of safe and adequate blood supply. As the department of the blood banks in Muscat is the major Blood bank at the sultanate, I contribute to the training of the laboratory staffs, Physicians, and Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB) Hematopathology and Anesthesia residents. I am a member of some national committees and teams including the National Blood Transfusion Committee (NBTC), Laboratory Committee, executive directors’ board at the MOH, Royal hospital transfusion committee, National disaster task force team, and also a member of other international organizations including AABB, ISBT, AATM and RCPA. Scholarly interests I have special interests in transfusion medicine and immunohematology, medical education, medical research, and quality improvements in blood banking. I have commitments to excellence in working in quality projects and training for the improvement of the transfusion services and blood banks in Oman