Patients seeking blood transfusion at Homa Bay county hospitals could lose their lives due to an acute shortage of blood.
Health executive Richard Muga has expressed concern many expectant women may die if residents fail to donate blood.
Muga said the shortage has hit Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital.
He said the hospital requires 300 pints of blood per month. Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Muga said by mid-morning there was no blood in the hospital banks.
“The referral hospital alone uses 300 pints of blood per month on patients,” Muga said.
The county official said their main source of blood is donation.
He said they are making efforts to prevent deaths resulting from the crisis.
“Residents can turn up for blood donation in Homa Bay town tomorrow (Friday) during the World Blood Donor Day celebration,” he said.
Muga said the shortage of blood particularly puts expectant women at risk.
“Women lose a lot of blood when they are delivering babies."
Muga said a woman died at Ndhiwa Subcounty Hospital two months ago due to shortage of blood.
People who are supposed to donate blood are those aged between 18 and 60.
“We do blood screening for safety before transfusion,” he added.
The executive said the county government is constructing satellite blood banks in subcounty hospitals to boost the capacity of the current storage facility which carries 400 pints.
He said they are planning to start blood storage in rural health facilities to enhance blood supply.
Edited by R.Wamochie
