SIMAD students donate blood at SOS Hospital in Mogadishu
SIMAD University students yesterday donated blood at SOS hospital in a move to stem blood shortage in city hospitals. Within the framework of “We Sacrifice Ourselves for Somali patients” campaign organized by SIMAD university Students’ Union, a number of students from the university thronged the hospital in good gesture to support the hospital’s need for blood.
The Deputy Rector for Administration and Finance, Mohamud Mohamed Alas who was leading the students, has commended the blood donation exercise. “We wanted to make a meaningful contribution to society, so we have encouraged our students, staff and community to donate blood so that we save lives,” said Alas.
According to officials at the Blood Transfer Center at SOS hospital, the center has recently suffered from the lack of some blood types. The blood donation campaign has contributed to making up for the lack of those blood types.
The hospital uses Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing (NAT), a state-of-the-art testing technique, which screens every single unit of donated blood for transmissible infections such as HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and syphilis.
The dean of engineering faculty Mohamed Mohamud Mohamed praised the goodwill of the organizers saying it sets a prime example of how volunteerism can make a difference. “Volunteerism is big part of academic life and we want to see more examples here; to donate your blood helps you do know your health status as well as health benefits,” he said
He said that the hospitals would only start looking for donors with a matching blood group when a patient needed it, which led to unnecessary deaths. “Now as more people come forward to donate blood, it allows the hospital to have a bank so that whenever a patient needs it, the hospitals can avail with ease hence saving many lives,”said Mohamed. The students pointed out that their blood donation campaign is a very simple and humble issue in comparison with suffering mothers and children, and it is the least they can do to help them, stressing that they will carry on the exercise in other hopspitals.
Abdi a third-year engineering student who was among the donors said there was an urgent need for blood donations to avert any deaths especially during delivery. “So many people need blood and when you look at the number of accidents happening in the nation and deaths during delivery, you see the importance of donating blood,” he said.
“I love blessing people, and giving blood was a simple way for me to give someone a new chance to live. I was honored that my first blood donation was to the mothers and children,” said another student who donated blood.
“As a nursing major, I’ve seen the effects that generous blood donations can have on saving lives. Giving blood was an incredible opportunity to bless the people of Jerusalem, and I am thankful that my blood will make a difference,” said Halima Abdi.
Farah, a finance student at SIMAD University, who donated blood at the event, called on other students and the public to donate blood, saying that this was a noble cause.
“I am very lucky to be alive and healthy. I think I owe it to the community to donate my blood so that someone who needs it can be saved.”
The drive may attracted other students from universities, secondary schools around the city.
By: Ahmed Mohamed Adan
Goobjoog News