First blood bank launched in Somalia in three decades

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The first ever blood bank has been launched in Somalia for the first time in three decades, in a mighty show of resilience and determination, fellowing decades of civil war and most recently terrorism threats engineered by Al-Shabaab militants.

While launching it recently, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre hailed the country for an "important milestone" in his speech, adding that the renaissance of the health sector would boost healthcare services in the country which have stalled for some time.

The new facility, officials said, was formed with support from the United Nations reproductive health agency [UNFPA] and the Swedish government. The facility, Barre added, will serve many victims of terror who have occasionally died due to the absence of blood.

“We have been struggling with violent incidents and different calamities that often required blood supplies,” said the Premier addressing a galaxy of officials that included Somalia’s Health Minister Dr Ali Haji Aden, and the Country Representative for UNFPA in Somalia Niyi Ojuolape.

In a statement released by UNFPA, the agency indicated that the blood bank serves as a lifeline in a variety of medical scenarios such as surgeries, trauma cases, complications during childbirth, and the treatment of patients with chronic illnesses.

“The National Blood Bank has a 50-unit-per-day production capacity and a storage capacity of 6,500 units at any given time,” the statement outlined.

Somalia is currently fighting Al-Shabaab militants who have been wreaking havoc for the last two decades, killing thousands of citizens in the process. The government of Somalia is optimistic that the militants will be defeated in the near future as the country fights for economic revival and stability.

GAROWE ONLINE