Borno Hospital Seeks Blood Donations as Airstrike Victims Overwhelm Facility

The Borno State Specialist Hospital in Maiduguri has appealed to the public for urgent blood donations following an influx of victims from a recent airstrike that hit a weekly market in Gubio Local Government Area.

The appeal comes after dozens of civilians were reportedly killed and many others injured when explosions rocked Jilli Market, a busy trading hub along the Borno–Yobe border, on Saturday evening.

Hospital authorities said the surge in casualties has placed pressure on available medical resources, particularly blood supply, as doctors work to stabilise patients with varying degrees of injuries.

The Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Shehu Muhammad, disclosed that 21 victims had been admitted to the facility, comprising five females and 16 males.

“Today, we received about 21 victims of a bomb blast as well as gunshot wounds from the town between Gubio and Geidam,” he said.

He explained that the patients presented with a range of conditions, including head injuries and other severe trauma, adding that cases have been categorised into mild, moderate and critical levels.

According to him, some of the severely injured patients have already undergone surgical procedures, while others are being prepared for operations as part of ongoing emergency care.

Muhammad noted that while essential medical supplies are currently available, the hospital urgently requires more blood to sustain treatment efforts. He warned that additional casualties could still arrive at the facility, stressing that adequate blood supply would be critical to saving lives as the situation continues to evolve.