Amref Health Africa in Kenya, Sisu Global Health and Surgipharm have on Tuesday unveiled a partnership to improve access to blood.
In a statement on Tuesday by Sisu Communications Team,The partnership is aimed at increasing blood access in all hospitals to reduce internal bleeding-related deaths.
This they said will be achieved through the adoption of HemafuseTM, an innovative medical device that allows clinicians to reuse a patient’s own blood gathered from internal bleeding.
"The partnership is aimed at increasing blood access in all hospitals to reduce internal bleeding-related deaths through the adoption of HemafuseTM,"reads the statement.
Amref Health Africa in Kenya’s Country Director, Dr Meshack Ndirangu said Blood access is critical to safe surgery citing that standard surgical practices require two units of blood on-hand before surgery commences.
“Blood access is critical to safe surgery. Standard surgical practices require two units of blood on-hand before surgery commences, but there is a severe shortage of blood in the country,"Ndirangu said.
He said Surgeries may be delayed or not performed due to a lack of blood, resulting in increased illness and death.
"This partnership will make use of an innovative solution that will ensure that patients with internal bleeding have a chance of survival.”
This initiative comes in the wake of the recent move by the US President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) to stop its annual funding of Sh.2 billion for blood collection and testing services in Kenya.