A donor gives blood during a blood donation drive in Embu town With many running to social media to appeal for blood donations for their relatives, Mt Kenya residents have been urged to embrace the practice regularly to help save lives.
The Embu Blood Transfusion Centre—that covers Embu, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Isiolo, Murang'a, Kirinyaga, Laikipia, Nyeri and Marsabit—has been operating on a deficit of 30 per cent, placing patients' lives at risk.
During a blood donation drive organised by Lions Club Embu branch in a bid to bridge the deficit in the unit, regional manager Daniel Wachira said the shortage is caused by failure to donate blood regularly.
"In Embu county specifically, we are only getting 80 to 90 per cent of the demand. We always have a deficit and this is mostly due to a culture of failing to donate voluntarily," Wachira observed.
He called on more Kenyans to embrace voluntary non-remunerated blood donation to ensure the bank has sufficient blood to tend to patients in hospitals.
Most of the conditions driving blood demand include delivering mothers and patients with chronic conditions such as cancer, which require a lot of transfusions.
"We normally get autologous donors, those who rush to donate because they have unwell relatives requiring blood urgently but that's not sustainable. We need regular blood donors so people can get blood when they need it.”
A healthy adult male can donate after every three months while a woman can do so after four months, he explained.
While one person can only donate a pint of blood that carries between 400 and 450 millilitres, technology has enabled the separation of up to four blood components that are served to different patients according to their needs.
The components are plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
"My clarion call is to Kenyans to change their attitude, come out in large numbers to donate and help us save lives," he said.
Lions Club branch president Patrick Gathondu emphasised the need for Kenyans to voluntarily give blood, saying they can find themselves in need at any time.
He said the club partnered with the transfusion centre after realising many patients struggle to get the needed blood especially when they need surgery.
"We see many instances of people seeking help on social media when their kin require blood and that blood may not be available when it's needed. Let's donate in advance and stock the blood bank so we can get it when we need it,” Gathondu said.
Kamotho Makara, a resident of Embu town, said donating blood regularly gives him a sense of fulfilment in knowing he has helped prolong others' lives.
He explained that after becoming a regular donor, one is issued with a card that ensures their loved ones are provided with blood when they fall sick.
