Mogadishu, 13 November 2022 – The World Health Organizations (WHO) Somalia country office, received over 38 metric tons of life-saving medical supplies on 8 November to help support the victims of the twin blasts that shook Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia on 29 October.
The International Humanitarian City of Dubai Government and the Government of the United Arab Emirates generously offered a charter flight from WHO’s Dubai Logistics Hub to Mogadishu to transport these medicines and infusions urgently needed to care for victims of the blast and ensure an uninterrupted supply of essential medicines to support emergency medical teams. These supplies are in addition to 39 metric tons of other trauma care supplies that WHO brought it urgently from its Dubai Logistic hub and handed over to the Federal Ministry of Health on 5 November 2022 in the presence of the Minister of Health of Federal Government of Somalia, HE Dr Ali Hadji Adam Abubakar).
The twin blasts, reportedly took the lives of over 100 people, while critically injuring over 300 more. Immediately after the blasts and in record time, WHO was able to bring in these supplies to Mogadishu, Somalia from its logistic hub in Dubai. These supplies, ideal for trauma care, will be sufficient to treat over 2500 patients with multiple injuries, burns and other blast wounds.
These supplies worth US$ 750 000 are life-saving support for Somalia during this difficult time and WHO remains thankful and grateful to the International Humanitarian City, the Dubai Government, His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the Government of the United Arab Emirates for providing this airbridge for transportation of these emergency medical supplies to Mogadishu, Somalia.
Expressing his personal gratitude, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, said, “These emergency medical supplies are critically needed to ensure that essential medicines and infusions are available in Mogadishu to care for victims of the blast and prevent further loss of life. Thanks to the support of the Dubai Government, the International Humanitarian City, and the Government of the United Arab Emirates, WHO’s logistics hub in Dubai were able to rapidly respond to this emergency in Somalia as well as to other acute health emergencies around the world to deliver humanitarian aid to those in greatest need, in line with our collective regional vision of “Health for all, by all”.
For additional information, please contact:
Kyle DeFreitas
External Relations Officer
Fouzia Bano
Communications Officer
Note to editors
Please see the links below for additional information on recent support:
Short video message by WHO Representative to express sympathy and solidarity with blast victims
Tweet by the Federal Minister of Health Dr Ali Haji thanking WHO for the support
