Blood Donation Campaigns in Gaza: Community Solidarity to Address Severe Shortage

Blood banks in Gaza face a severe shortage due to the genocide that left over 170,000 wounded, and daily ceasefire violations that added more than 4,000 wounded. The Red Crescent Society organized a blood donation campaign at the field hospital in Al-Saraya, where 40 citizens participated in the first hour, with hemoglobin levels ranging between 13.5 and 16, indicating improvement in anemia after the entry of aid. The campaign aims to boost the stock of 200 units, as a single wounded person may consume 20 units, and the society organizes monthly campaigns to collect 80 units, despite a shortage of testing materials.

Blood banks in hospitals across the Gaza Strip face a severe shortage of blood units, due to the repercussions of the genocide that left more than 170,000 wounded, in addition to those wounded by daily violations of the ceasefire agreement, exceeding 4,000. The waves of famine caused by the occupation through preventing food supplies affected blood levels, leading to a rise in anemia and preventing a large proportion of citizens from donating. With the entry of aid trucks, anemia rates began to improve, which was evident in a blood donation campaign carried out by the Red Crescent Society at the field hospital in Al-Saraya in Gaza City yesterday. In the first hour, the campaign saw the participation of 40 citizens, with most having hemoglobin levels of 13.5 or 14 and above, and some participants recorded 15 and 16, unlike the levels recorded during the famine for males at 11 and 12. Also, the hemoglobin level for participating women reached 13 in some cases. The coordinator of external campaigns at the Central Blood Bank Society of the Red Crescent, Munzer Salmi, explained that the medical team follows professional and technical safety procedures, checking hemoglobin levels to ensure they exceed 13.5, and blood pressure to ensure it is within the normal range (120/80). He pointed out a shortage of testing materials since the beginning of the war, with some improvement recently due to the entry of high-priced testing materials. He confirmed that the participation rate in campaigns has improved to about 80 participants currently, while during famine periods the number of participants sometimes did not exceed 7. Among the campaign's goals is preparedness for any emergency field events, as a single wounded person may consume about 20 blood units, and he said: "If ten wounded people with severe injuries arrive, the blood bank's stock of 200 units will run out." The head of the laboratory department at Al-Saraya field hospital, Muhammad Ayyash, confirmed a severe shortage of blood units, and that the society organizes a monthly donation campaign to try to provide about 80 units per campaign, stressing that the high participation rate confirms the awareness of the people.