Protests in Senegal: blood donations pour in to help the injured
A blood bag used for a blood transfusion.
Getty Images / Alexandr Sherstobitov
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
After the national day of mourning, decreed Thursday by President Macky Sall, the protest movement is organizing its own day of mourning this Friday, March 12.
The recent protests have left 10 dead, government sources, 11 according to protesters.
The Red Cross for its part put forward a partial toll of at least 590 wounded.
In this context, many young people volunteer to donate blood.
The National Blood Transfusion Center in Dakar is always full.
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This is the first time that Ndèye Fatou Mbow, 21, has donated blood.
“
It stings a bit, but it's okay.
It is an act of citizenship, because it helps save people who are in need.
"
20-year-old Ismaila himself took part in the protests last week.
“
I saw injuries, it really marked me.
This is one of the reasons I came.
"
In front of the center, a long queue.
These students responded to a call launched on social networks.
“
Since these days we don't have lessons, we came for the wounded, in the demonstrators' camp, as well as for the police.
It is a peaceful contribution, one can say.
"
“
It really shocks us because, here in Senegal, we young people in any case, this is the first time that we have seen so much blood flow.
"
The National Blood Transfusion Center recorded around 500 donations on Tuesday and Wednesday alone, and it continues.
An influx greeted by its director, Professor Saliou Diop.
"
We can only welcome this call from young people, even if it must be recognized that there has been no real increase in use with these events, it allows us to maintain our stocks and to counteract to any situation.
"
The Senegalese Red Cross, which rescued 590 wounded, recalls that this toll is almost 4 times higher than the number of wounded recorded in more than 3 weeks during the pre-election violence of 2011-2012.
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