Patients put hospital on spot over sale of blood

Patients have raised concern over the sale of blood for transfusion at the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital.

They said a pint of blood was selling at between Sh2,500 and Sh3,000 yet it is supposed to be given for free.

Ms Susan Muthoni, a patient, said there are similar cases at many public hospitals across the county.

“Expectant mothers are the most exploited since they have to pay for the blood on admission,” she said.

Mr Francis Wariuki, an accident survivor, said he was in dire need of blood but had to use her own means to look for it after medical staff at the hospital made it difficult for him to get the fluid.

Rift Valley Regional Blood Transfusion Centre Director Nick Kiptanui said his organisation collects blood from the public, processes it and donates it to hospitals in the region.

“If there are cases where patients were charged, we request the victims to approach us so that we can follow up the issues with the hospital authority,” Mr Kiptanui said.

However, the hospitals’ medical superintendent, Dr John Mirima, denied the claims, saying the institution does not sell blood. He asked the patients making the claims to produce evidence to assist in investigations.

BLOOD SHORTAGE

Dr Mirima said the hospital gets its blood from the regional centre, which supplies eight public health institutions in the area.

“Patients should not make unsubstantiated claims” Dr Murima said.

County Executive for Health Kabii Mungai said patients were only required to pay for blood screening.

Dr Mungai said each pint has to be screened for HIV, malaria and hepatitis.

At the same time, an acute blood shortage has hit the King Fahd Hospital in Lamu County.

“In private hospitals, the screening for hepatitis is Sh600. We also have to do grouping and cross-matching for the blood,” Dr Mungai said in an interview.

County Laboratory Coordinator Mohamed Athman told journalists on Thursday that the ongoing countrywide teachers’ strike had greatly contributed to the shortage since many donors were students.

Additional reporting by Kalume Kazungu