Kisii: Residents of Kisii County have been encouraged to regularly donate blood in order to save lives following a shortage of blood at the Kisii Blood Transfusion Centre. The center, which serves thousands of citizens across Kisii and the neighbouring Migori, Homabay, Narok and Nyamira counties, is struggling to offer critical services as its blood bank remains largely unused.

According to Kenya News Agency, the Blood Transfusion Center’s Manager Vincent Nyambane highlighted that Kisii collects only 1200 units of blood per month against a population of about 1.2 million people. Nyambane emphasized that the current collection limit set by the government is insufficient to meet the needs of the entire county and the neighboring regions. He urged residents to donate blood regularly to bolster the blood stocks in local health facilities and prevent loss of lives.

Nyambane also mentioned that a lack of sufficient blood collection centers in most counties hampers the ability to supply hospitals with the necessary blood for surgeries and emergencies. He called on the government to lead initiatives in promoting mass blood donation campaigns and educating the public on the importance of donating blood to alleviate fears and increase participation.

Millicent Nyaboke, a nurse at the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital (KTRH), identified fear associated with the HIV screening process as a significant barrier to blood donation. She noted that many people avoid donating blood due to anxiety over the HIV screening, which discloses one’s status and hinders lifesaving efforts.

According to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, Kenya’s estimated annual blood demand is approximately 500,000 units. However, the Office of the Auditor General’s performance audit report on Management of Blood Transfusion Services (2024) reveals that the Kenya National Blood Transfusion Service (KNBTS) collects only between 150,000 to 160,000 blood units annually.