Alarm as Mombasa blood transfusion banks run dry
An acute blood shortage has hit Mombasa county with patients in dire need of blood transfusion bearing the brunt.
According to head of Regional Blood Transfusion Centre Hamisi Kithi confirmed that Mombasa was severely affected saying most adults from the county have neglected the role of donating blood.
Hamisi said according to data from World Health Organisation (WHO), blood banks should be at least 1,000 pints as per the population of Mombasa but at the moment there is only 200 pints available their banks.
He said the hospitals are now forced using the little they have and lowering the amount of blood, in blood banks needed per unit in the county.
“It is true there is shortage of blood in Mombasa and this can be attributed to the fact that most people do not donate blood as often as needed. We need to cultivate the culture of donating blood so as to save lives,” said Hamisi.
He also attributed the shortage to the fact that schools had been closed for a very long period and they rely on schools for blood donation which is their highest source.
He explained that in the sub-Saharan Africa blood demand and supply in the area does not match and there is always a shortage of blood in the blood banks.
The community has also been asked to take charge of the situation as they area the bigger multitude that needs to be donating blood in large quantities.
