Somalia kicks off construction of main blood bank facility

The Somali government has kicked off construction of national blood bank facility for the first time in three decades.

Hassan Ali Khaire, Prime Minister of Somalia who laid the foundation for the construction of the facility, said the critical project is being implemented through a partnership between the government and willing development partners.

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 Khaire in a statement issued after the launch in Mogadishu.

He said the Horn of Africa nation which is fighting al-Shabab militant group that has resulted in many deaths and injuries some due to loss of blood did not have a functioning national blood bank for close to three decades.

This critical project will, upon completion, assuage dire blood shortages in the country. Phase one of the project is anticipated to store 10,000 units of blood, said the prime minister.

He said the launch of this project is a key milestone for the Social Development Road Map and coincides with the second anniversary since the infamous October 14, 2017, truck bombings in Mogadishu in which hundreds of Somalis lost their lives, many due to severe loss of blood. Some 587 people killed and 316 others injured during the bombing attack in Mogadishu.

Khaire said the government is committed to enhancing the delivery of essential services to the Somali people through the implementation of responsive and proactive policy initiatives, through collaboration with development partners. 

Source