Revisiting blood transfusion preparedness: experience from the Bam earthquake response

• Published in: Prehospital and disaster medicine Vol. 23; no. 5; p. 391
• Main Authors: Abolghasemi, Hassan, Radfar, Mohammad H, Tabatabaee, Morteza, Hosseini-Divkolayee, Nasim S, Burkle, Jr, Frederick M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.10.2008
• Subjects: Blood Banks - organization & administration; Blood Transfusion; Delivery of Health Care - organization & administration; Disaster Planning - organization & administration; Earthquakes; Emergency Medical Services; Global Health; Health Planning - organization & administration; Humans; Iran; Relief Work; Triage - organization & administration; Iran
• ISSN: 1049-023X; 1945-1938
• DOI: 10.1017/S1049023X00006117

Blood transfusion plays a critical role in the provision of medical care for disasters due to man-made and natural hazards. Although the short-term increase in blood donations following national disasters is well-documented, some aspects of blood transfusion during disasters remain under study. The 2003 earthquake in Bam, Iran resulted in the death of >29,000 people and injured 23,000. In total, 108,985 blood units were donated, but only 21,347 units (23%) actually were distributed to hospitals around the country. Kerman Province, the site of the disaster, received 1,231 (1.3%) of the donated units in the first four days after the disaster. The Bam experience revealed crucial missteps in the development of a post-event strategy for blood product management, and led to the development of a detailed disaster preparedness and response plan that addresses issues of donation, distribution, communication, transportation, and coordination. The current plan requires the Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization to convene a disaster task force immediately as the main coordinator of all disaster preparedness and response activities.