Israel On Track To Launch The World’s 1st Underground Blood Bank
“This article was re-published with permission from NoCamels.com – Israeli Innovation News.
Thirteen miles (20 km) outside Tel Aviv and 49 feet (15 meters) below ground, Israel’s Magen David Adom (MDA) medical service is quietly building a $100 million facility set to become part of the country’s national defense strategy against war, natural disasters, missile threats, and state emergencies, with the capability to operate normally even under direct threats.
This cutting-edge national blood bank, which broke ground in the central Israel town of Ramle November 2016, will be the world’s first blood lab to go underground and will include “the introduction of new technologies” related to blood work, renowned hematologist Dr. Eilat Shinar, the current director of the Magen David Adom Blood Services Division in Israel, tells NoCamels.
The center will also be the “vanguard” of blood centers around the world, adhering to strict standards but innovative in its approach in dealing with blood supply-related emergencies.
Israel’s Magen David Adom (MDA) is responsible for the collection, processing, testing, and distribution of blood for the entire country. Photo via zeevveez, Flickr
“The new blood services center will enable MDA to better respond to the increasing needs of both the civilian and military systems regarding blood and blood components, as the population in Israel is growing and aging. The increased laboratory space will facilitate the introduction of new technologies, which will improve blood quality and safety,” Shinar tells NoCamels. “The protected building will allow us to work, uninterrupted at all times, during natural and man-made disasters.”
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