Homa Bay: Health stakeholders in Homa Bay County have urged the government to install blood screening equipment in the county referral hospital to streamline blood transfusions. The County Infections Control Coordinator, James Okuthe, emphasized that delays in accessing screened blood in health facilities impede efforts to save lives during emergencies that require immediate blood transfusions.
According to Kenya News Agency, Okuthe highlighted the necessity for the blood bank in Homa Bay to be equipped to conduct screenings locally to reduce the waiting time for results from Kisumu. He noted that health facilities in Nyanza and nearby regions currently send blood to the Kisumu regional blood bank, where it takes between 5-7 days to receive results. The shortage of reagents in Kisumu sometimes exacerbates these delays, which are critical when patients urgently need blood.
Speaking during the commemoration of this year's Blood Donor Day in Oyugis town, Kasipul constituency, Okuthe pointed out that conditions like anaemia, haemophilia, and sickle cell disease necessitate the prompt availability of blood. Polycarp Ogweno, a M©decins sans fronti¨res (MSF) official, stated that Homa Bay County requires 11,400 pints of blood annually to meet the needs of its growing patient population. Yet, last year, the county only received 7,700 pints through donations.
Ogweno also highlighted the high maternal mortality rate in Homa Bay, referencing a 2014 assessment report that indicated a ratio of 583 deaths per 100,000 live births. He remarked on the challenge of timely blood screening, which hampers efforts to address haemorrhages during maternal deliveries. Ogweno encouraged residents to continue donating blood to ensure that health facilities in the county maintain an adequate supply.
MSF supports blood donation campaigns as part of its efforts to address medical conditions requiring blood transfusion. This year's theme, "giving blood gives hope together to save life," underscores the importance of these campaigns. Ogweno mentioned their collaboration with the Homa Bay county government to tackle the 45 percent blood shortage. MSF provides training and facilitates community health workers in the collection of blood donations, urging residents to donate blood to help alleviate the deficit.