The country has collected a total of 345,566 units of blood and products in the 2021/22 Financial Year, Kenya Tissue and Transplant Authority (KTTA) has revealed.

In a detailed report released yesterday, KTTA also disclosed that 100 per cent of all the units collected were successfully screened and tested.

“An estimated 70 per cent of all whole blood units collected were converted into components – up from 30 per cent in 2020 translating to 2,600 daily tests up from 1,500 tests previously,” agency states.

Agency’s chief executive Dr Nduku Kilonzo (pictured) further revealed that additionally, 12 new blood banks were established, thus increasing storage and testing capacity from 24,000 in 2020 to 53,210 units , currently.

She said through collaboration with counties, KTTA has plans to increase blood banking capacity with additional 25 cold chain storage fridges and freezers, which are awaiting delivery to counties. This, he said, will boost effective handling of blood and its products going forward.

“In Quarters 3 and 4 of FY 2021/22 (January – June 2022), zero mothers lost their lives in Pumwani Hospital, compared to October – December of 2020 where five mothers lost their lives due to lack of blood,” the report.

Report further shows that, for  instance, in Thika Level Five Hospital, patients waiting for blood transfusion during chemotherapy and dialysis have been eliminated, since they now get the platelets they need as opposed to whole blood.

Minimum need

In 2021/22, Kenya met 70 per cent of its blood needs, reaching 348,000 units of blood and products, for the first time since independence. This, KTTA said, is serving over 320,000 Kenyans in need.

The goal, Nduku pointed out, is to accelerate progress towards meeting annual minimum need of 520,000 units.

“This is a 248 per cent increase in blood collection within two years,” she said, pointing to the commitment to implement the reforms that were initiated in 2020 by outgoing Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe.

Nduku said KTTA has expanded its services and capacities significantly over the last two years, and now there are 45 blood banks across the country up from 30 in the previous year.