Mogadishu bombings expose critical blood shortages in Somali hospitals

The recent bombings in Mogadishu have highlighted a critical issue: the urgent need for a national blood bank. Hospitals are struggling to meet the demand for blood donations during these emergencies, leaving medical professionals calling for immediate action.

"It is indeed a national security matter to have a blood bank available, so we can access it when needed," said Dr. Abdillahi Dahir, administrator of a private hospital in Mogadishu.

Officials from Mogadishu hospitals describe the blood demand during bombing incidents as overwhelming. Dr. Abdifitah Hassan Dhaqane, deputy director of the Somali Sudanese Hospital, reported significant shortages, with their blood bank often having only five to six units of type A- blood.

"When faced with a crisis, we need to request more urgently," Dr. Dhaqane explained. During the recent incident, their hospital provided blood to around 50 people. Without a proper plan, hospitals must resort to social media to find urgent blood donations.

Similarly, Dr. Abdillahi Dahir Haji, director of Kalkaal Hospital, emphasized the necessity of a national blood storage plan, especially after receiving around 72 injured individuals in a single night.

"We have a blood bank, but it cannot meet the demand during such emergencies," Dr. Abdillahi said.

Despite these challenges, hospitals have avoided fatalities due to blood shortages, although the strain on resources is immense. Hospitals usually coordinate blood donations during emergencies through established systems, but more is needed.

Somalia, a country recovering from prolonged conflict, has not yet re-established a national blood bank, one of the institutions destroyed during the war. The Somali government previously announced plans to revive the national blood bank, which remains critically important, according to private hospital administrators in Mogadishu.

Medical studies highlight the significance of blood banks. They are essential for saving lives in need of urgent transfusions. Blood banks have played a crucial role in saving countless lives, with approximately 13.6 million units of blood donated annually and about 36,000 units needed daily.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that about 79% of blood donors come from high-income countries.