YOUTH BLOOD DONORS GIVING CRITICAL SUPPORT TO SOMALI MATHER AND CHILDERN

A youth group in Mogadishu, the Somali blood donor volunteers, is providing critical support to hospitals in the city handling emergency medical cases.

The group has 5,000 registered members, 600 of whom have donated blood since the group formed in November 2015.

The members include university and high school students, football players, businessmen, teachers, journalists and humanitarian workers.  They have a Facebook page to promote membership and share contacts.

Omar Abdirahman Ali, 24, a co-founder of the group, graduated from Benadir University school of medicine.

“The idea to do this came to our mind when we discovered the need for blood to be available to save mothers, children and other patients who risk bleeding to death in hospitals,” he said.

The members have registered their contacts and blood groups with local hospital, who can call them in case of emergency. Abdullahi Hassan Mohamed, one of the volunteers, said they are on hand whenever they are needed.

The head of the paediatric department of Banadir hospital, Dr Lul Mohamed Mohamud, told me the youth group provided an important service.

“These youth visited us several times and donated blood for many people. Honestly, we no longer get worried about blood supply whenever a patient in critical condition is admitted to the hospital,” she said.

Lul Omar Noor thanked the volunteers for saving the life of her sister, Habibo, who was admitted to Madina hospital with a lung condition this week.

Mogadishu City hospital handles many patients injured in explosions, armed attacks and road accidents in Mogadishu and the surrounding area. Dr Abdulkadir Isse Diriye described the blood donor group as “a noble cause.”

Aweis Haji Nor
Journalist
Aweysaar@gmail.com