The sharp increase in the prevalence of chronic, major diseases and fatalities from accidents and demonstrations has pushed up the demand for blood needed in hospitals. 

This is in turn, straining the country’s blood bank. 

The National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) top management said the country’s blood bank currently holds between 200,000 and 250,000 pints of blood, way below the Global target of more than 500,000 pints. 

The Technical and Deputy Head of NBTS at the Ministry of Health, Nick Kiptanui, stated that demand for blood needed for patients during treatment has continued to increase following a surge in chronic diseases like cancer, fatalities from road accidents and injured victims of demonstrations. 

“We have witnessed an increase in the number of major diseases and fatalities during accidents and from other causes thus pushing up the demand for pints of blood needed. However, the country’s blood bank is far below the target, making it hard for the Government to extend the service to patients in hospitals,” said Kiptanui at KICC during the launch of a blood donation drive organised by the Cooperative Alliance of Kenya CAK) and NBTS. 

Kiptanui further said the low level of blood in the bank is attributable to culture and lack of goodwill among other factors.   

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), each country should have one per cent of the population of blood pints.

So in Kenya, the national blood reserve ought to have a national target of 520,000 pints, which is one per cent of the country’s population of 52 million Kenyans,” he explained.

He said the separation of donated blood into different components has helped in the reduction of deaths during birth, as women who overbleed are given the specific component ideal for the circumstance. 

Kiptanui further explained that the separation of blood has proved to be effective in reducing cases of death during birth, as women who over-bleed are given Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP), which helps in clotting and stopping the bleeding. 

Kiptanui said they pioneered the separation of blood into different components while he worked in Nakuru, and they are able to separate it into its key components, which are fresh frozen plasma, red blood cells and platelets, which address specific health needs. 

Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Cooperatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Patrick Kilemi said cooperatives will partner with NTBS to ensure the pints of blood needed in the county have increased significantly.  

“The inclusion of cooperatives in blood donation is part of the cooperative’s initiative to assist in the realisation of universal health care in the country,” said Kilemi.  

He explained that significant pints of blood are expected to be received from donors with the influence of cooperatives ahead of Ushirika celebrations at the county and national levels this week.    

“We have set the days ahead of Ushirika celebrations and therefore urging Kenyans to come out in large numbers to donate blood to help patients in our hospitals,” said Kilemi. 

Cooperative Alliance of Kenya (CAK) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Daniel Marube said they have been partnering with the Kenya National Blood Transfusion Service by mobilising members of the cooperative movement to donate blood in efforts to bridge the shortage.