National Blood Bank Opens in Somalia

The city of Mogadishu faced destruction of both life and property after a bombing two years ago. (Flickr)

The government of Somalia recently announced it would create a national blood bank. Two years ago, a bombing in Mogadishu, the capital, caused 600 deaths and hundreds of injuries. Many people died due to blood loss, as there was no national blood bank. 

There are currently four operating blood banks in Somalia according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The new national blood bank will have the capacity to store 10,000 pints of blood. The WHO has assisted in developing and expanding blood transfusion services in order to bring the country in line with international health standards.

The WHO recognized lack of access to health services as one of the leading factors of Somalia’s low international health indicators. Access to a functioning blood bank could improve health outcomes, particularly for those with anemia, trauma, and pregnancy-related issues. 

Another attack on the capital two decades ago revealed the consequences of a lack of available blood during a crisis. The attack “inflicted indescribable catastrophe on the Somali people,” said Prime Minister Hassan Ali Kheyre. Now, many health service providers struggle to keep their doors open to the population, as 3.2 million people need humanitarian aid due to violence and civil war. 

The opening of the first national blood bank in more than two decades expands opportunities to test and treat diseases in Somalia. “Establishing a blood bank, therefore, becomes more urgent given our context, as it mitigates deaths as a result of bleeding. Providing reliable blood transfusion services will be fundamental to our health sector reform,” said the prime minister.