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Supporting blood banking in the Gaza Strip

Merlin is supporting blood banking services in the Gaza Strip, helping bring vital services to the conflict-affected population.

As a result of the conflict in the Gaza Strip, blood banks play a hugely important role in the area.

The blockade of Gaza has severely hampered these services, which lack qualified health workers, supplies, equipment and even regular electricity.

To support the blood bank service, Merlin is providing equipment, training and emergency planning.

Dalal Najjar, Merlin's Country Director in the Palestinian Territories, writes that:

"Blood banking is hugely important in the Gaza Strip because of the ongoing conflict in the area. The service has been seriously compromised by the blockade and Merlin's help will be critical to meeting the needs of the thousands of Palestinians that rely on the service."

Merlin's support

We are providing larger items, like electricity generators and refrigerators for stocks of blood, as well as day-to-day supplies.

In addition to the blood bank equipment and other supplies, Merlin will be installing a computerised network system whereby all blood banks within the Gaza Strip will be able to communicate and locate much-needed blood types in times of crisis.

Merlin is also delivering on the job training for all 77 blood banking technicians, management training for the service's senior ranks, and holding public education workshops and blood bank campaigns on the importance of blood banking for around 140,000 people across the Strip.

We are also helping the service to better prepare for emergencies. In partnership with the local authorities, Merlin will be developing an emergency preparedness plan for all blood banks within the Gaza Strip, with the Ministry of Health's blood banks as the lead supplier of blood for all.

With Merlin's support, the 1.5 million people living in the Gaza Strip can now access the well-equipped, supplied, staffed and prepared blood banking services they so urgently need.