Just a few months after the Ministry of Health (MOH) raised the alarm over a countrywide shortage of blood, reports have emerged explaining the phenomenon.
This is after Mukurweini Member of Parliament John Kaguchia raised concerns over an acute shortage of blood screening kits in health facilities across the country, highlighting the risk it posed to patients.
Speaking at the National Assembly on Thursday, the lawmaker noted that this shortage was likely to cause fatalities as it led to the wastage of already donated blood, crucial for patients in need of transfusions.
"The lack of testing kits has resulted in the wastage of donated blood, a critical resource in healthcare," the legislator stated.
"If this issue is not urgently addressed, it will severely impact the supply of screened blood across the country, putting lives at risk."
Blood screening kits are devices used to detect abnormalities in donated blood including serious diseases like HIV and diabetes by analysing a blood sample. They also determine the blood type before it is transfused to patients in need.
Therefore, MP Kaguchia requested a statement from the Chairperson of the Health Committee citing concerns over the Kenya National Blood Transfusion Service (KNBTS) running low on essential laboratory reagents and blood bag kits.
He also requested information on steps taken to ensure that KNBTS is adequately facilitated to carry out its mandate.
To the government, he demanded a report on measures taken to avert the looming crisis and ensure the availability of adequate blood screening kits.
"What immediate measures is the government taking to ensure uninterrupted provision of screened blood for transfusion to patients, especially those in current need, and the long-term measures being put in place to mitigate the risk and ensure a constant supply of essential medical testing kits?" he asked.
"This is an urgent matter that should not wait. The Cabinet Secretary for Health needs to provide a response as soon as possible. The shortage affects millions of Kenyans."
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula ultimately directed the Health Committee to provide a detailed response on April 1.
This comes just a few months after MOH reported that a shortage of blood was plaguing the nation following schools' closure for the December long holidays, an institution highly utilised in acquiring the blood.
The shortage was especially concerning as the festive season came with an increased number of road and other accidents that necessitated blood transfusions in the country.
The head of transfusion at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital, Gladys Omwenga, noted that there was a dire shortage of Rhesus negative, O negative (-), and positive (+) as well as B positive (+) blood in most parts of the country.
