Nairobi: Separation of donated blood into different components has helped in the reduction of deaths during birth, as women who over bleed are given the specific component, ideal for the circumstance. Kenya National Blood Transfusion Service Deputy Director and Technical Head, Nick Kiptanui, said that the separation of blood into the various components, has proved to be effective in reducing cases of death during birth as women who over bleed are given Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) which helps in speeding up clotting and eventually stopping the bleeding.
According to Kenya News Agency, Kiptanui said that they pioneered the separation of blood into different components, while he worked in Nakuru and they are able to separate it into its key components that is Fresh Frozen Plasma, red blood cells and platelets which address specific health needs. Speaking in Nairobi, Thursday, during a blood donation drive organized by the Cooperative Alliance of Kenya (CAK), Kiptanui explained that previously women used to get blood transfusion just as it was donated and this did not help as they continued bleeding.
‘We were losing a lot of mothers, so the project was done in Nakuru and it posted positive results. There is a testimony of a lady who gave birth and went into a coma due to over bleeding, when we were called in, we provided two units of Fresh Frozen Plasma and in a few hours, she got better and woke-up to breastfeed her child,’ said Kiptanui.
He explained that going by the World Health Organization (WHO) requirements, a country should have at least one percent of its population donating blood, to satisfy the demand and in Kenya the demand is about 500,000 Units. Kiptanui disclosed that currently they are able to collect about 250,000 Units of blood annually and when combined with components such as Fresh Frozen Plasma, red blood cells and platelets, the quantity increases to 300,000 Units.
‘An increase in chronic diseases, including cancer, road accidents and demonstrations has increased the demand for blood in the country and we strive to meet the demand even when we have fires in schools,’ said Kiptanui.
State Department for Cooperatives Principal Secretary (PS), Patrick Kilemi, said that co-operatives play a critical role in society and the United Nations has declared 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives. Kilemi explained that cooperatives play an important role in the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by supporting the four pillars of people; prosperity, peace and planet.
‘With Kenya being the leader in the co-operative movement in Africa, we have witnessed the impact of the movement, where it has had social economic changes, by bettering the lives of members,’ noted Kilemi.
The PS said that co-operative movement is an enabler of the five pillars of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), where it plays a role in housing, agriculture, financial inclusivity through the Saccco model and all the other value chains. He said that they will hold talks with the Nairobi County government, in efforts to address the issues hindering blood donation, being carried out with the Central Business District (CBD), which attracts a huge number of donors.
Co-operative Alliance of Kenya (CAK) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Daniel Marube, said that they have been partnering with the Kenya National Blood Transfusion Service by mobilizing members of the co-operative movement to donate blood in efforts to bridge the shortage. According to Marube, the co-operative’s spirit of togetherness has been able to change the lives of many people through saving and borrowing and they want to employ the same model, where members can donate blood to save the lives of fellow Kenyans.
‘Our rallying call is ‘donate blood today for you may need it tomorrow’. Nowadays we have many diseases like cancer and emergencies and you cannot know what may befall you tomorrow,’ cautions Marube.