Urgences, banques de sang et de lait maternel… : Le Maguen David Adom, un modèle d’urgence médicale à copier
In the heart of Tel Aviv, Israel, stands a fortress of life. Behind its facades, Magen David Adom (MDA), the Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross, keeps the pulse of an entire nation beating 24 hours a day. A delegation of journalists from seven French-speaking African countries, including Senegal, invited by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, went inside the bunker of this backbone of the Israeli emergency response system to learn more about its missions.
Crossing the threshold of the MDA headquarters is like entering a city of responsiveness. State-of-the-art coordination rooms, logistics platforms, medicalized ambulances equipped with 8 beds (7 of which are for intensive care), a fleet of 2,650 intervention vehicles and 650 medical motorcycles: everything is designed to save life-saving minutes.
Thus, teams can deploy in less than 10 minutes after a distress call. At the nerve center, connected operators receive alerts and monitor each intervention in real time across the territory.
An institution older than the state
Founded in 1930 by pioneers in the aftermath of the 1929 Hebron events, the MDA predates the establishment of the State of Israel. It became a national institution in 1950 when the Knesset enacted the law that gave it its official status.
Nearly a century later, the organization relies on 35,000 volunteer first responders, including 9,500 motorcycle first responders and more than 20,000 "guardians of life." Primarily funded by donations, the MDA has become the cornerstone of the nation's health security.
The MDA is also the guardian of other forms of life. It manages the national blood bank, processing 2,000 units of blood every day. Fifteen meters underground, it also houses a national breast milk program for premature babies, orphans, or those whose mothers are unable to breastfeed. A rare and profoundly human mission.
The memory of October 7th and the support of technology
In the complex's underground parking garage, heavily damaged emergency vehicles are preserved. They tell the story of the events of October 7, 2023, the day the MDA was targeted during its operations. The institution has lost several of its officers throughout its history and seen some of its equipment destroyed. Overwhelmed by a wave of simultaneous alerts that day, the teams held firm thanks to the massive mobilization of volunteers, whose commitment is open to people aged 15 to 90.
The MDA's strength ultimately lies in its cutting-edge technology. Its highly trained paramedics rely on geolocation applications and digital tools that enable instant assessment and direct coordination with hospitals. This expertise in mass emergency medicine is inspiring other emergency services around the world, particularly in the United States.
On an international level, Magen David Adom also intervenes in major humanitarian crises, as was the case during earthquakes in Haiti or Turkey.
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