Kisumu: Kenyans have been urged to embrace the culture of donating blood to save lives. Lorine Achieng from the Nyanza regional blood bank highlighted the dire consequences of the current blood shortage, noting that many Kenyans who require blood transfusions die due to the lack of available blood, a situation that could be mitigated if more citizens participated in blood donation.
According to Kenya News Agency, Achieng expressed concerns about the frequent need for hospitals to request blood donations from the families of patients. She made these remarks during a blood donation event organized by Huduma Centre in Kisumu, in partnership with the area Regional Blood Bank, as part of the customer service week celebrations. Achieng also pointed out the typically low turnout at blood donation drives, which mainly attract young people, and urged all Kenyans to contribute to saving lives through blood donation.
Achieng attributed the low participation in blood donation campaigns to a lack of proper information and psychosocial cultural factors. The current campaign aims to raise awareness and emphasize the ongoing need for blood donations throughout Kenya, as hospitals endeavor to maintain adequate blood supplies for both emergency and routine medical care. Medical experts stress that blood donation not only aids recipients but also benefits donors by improving blood circulation and stimulating new blood cell production.
It is advised that men donate blood every three months and women every four months for optimal health. Achieng also recommended regular medical check-ups for the public to detect conditions such as high blood pressure early on. Data from the Ministry of Health reveals a national shortage of 200,000 units of blood annually, causing reliance on donations from families and friends for seven out of ten transfusions.
Achieng warned that any delay in blood transfusion puts lives at risk and that shortages spread fear among those in need. The World Health Organization suggests that countries collect at least 10-20 units of blood per 1,000 people yearly. However, Kenya only collects four units per 1,000 people, contributing to the shortage. Based on WHO guidelines, Kenya should aim to collect up to one million units annually, but this goal remains unmet due to challenges like inadequate funding for the Blood Unit, which hampers campaign efforts.