Fear of knowing HIV status hurts blood donation
Medical Services minister Prof Anyang Nyong'o (right) with his permanent secretary James Ole Kiyiapi,. Prof Nyong'o says the country has been unable to meet its annual target of 380,000 units of blood due to unfounded fears by donors that they would be informed of their HIV status. Photo/File
Kenya is unable to meet its annual blood requirements due to fears among potential donors that their HIV status would be known.
The trend has made it difficult and expensive for the National Blood Transfusion Services (NBTS) to recruit and retain blood donors, according to Medical Services minister Anyang’ Nyong’o.
The disclosure comes at a time when many myths about the disease have been debunked and the infection rates have been declining.
Statistics from NBTS show that the prevalence of HIV among blood donors is currently at 1.3 per cent, down from 6.4 per cent in 1994 due to proper donor selection practices.
The country has been unable to meet its annual target of 380,000 units of blood due to unfounded fears by donors that they would be informed of their HIV status, Prof Nyong’o said.
Some people were in the habit of “hoarding” blood to donate later to a family member, he told the launch of a campaign dubbed “Know your blood group” aimed at reversing the worrying trend of declining blood supply on Friday evening.
The minister called on all Kenyans to take blood donation as a personal responsibility to save lives.
Noting that one third of transfused blood was utilised by children with anaemia while 15 per cent was used for the management of pregnancy- related anaemia, Prof Nyong’o underscored the need to save lives of children and women in danger.
Grave danger
“The survival of our nation is dependent upon women and children who are in grave danger if we don’t donate blood,” said the minister at the Sarova Stanley Hotel.
He called on volunteer organisations involved in mobilising blood donations to mount aggressive campaigns to boost supplies.
“This country cannot depend on donors for such basic services as blood transfusion,” he said in reference to the heavy reliance on donor agencies such as the Centre for Disease Control and the Presidential Emergency Funds for Aids Relief.
The minister said although the current funding of NBTS was about to end, there was a possibility of additional funding for a further five years.
