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Month: February 2019

Home / Month: February 2019

REMARKS BY SICILY KARIUKI EGH, CABINET SECRETARY FOR HEALTH DURING THE LAUNCH OF TERUMO BCT, FIRST REGIONAL OFFICE IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA IN NAIROBI ON 7TH FEBRUARY 2019.

Hiroshi Nagumo, Senior Vice President, Blood Center Solutions, Terumo BCT,

Josephine Githaiga – Head, Kenya National Blood Transfusion Service,

The highest Blood donors – Kennedy Apha Sanya and Aisha Dafalla,

Senior Government Officials present,

Invited guests,

The Media

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am delighted to preside over the launch of Terumo BCT, first regional office in sub-Saharan Africa in Nairobi tonight. Let me take this opportunity to welcome the company in Kenya in the spirit of African hospitality.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, The Kenya National Blood Transfusion Service (KNBTS) was established in the year 2000 under the Ministry of Health. Its mandate is to collect, test, process and distribute blood and blood products to all transfusing hospitals in Kenya. KNBTS has six Regional Blood Transfusion Centres namely Nairobi, Embu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Kisumu and Mombasa and 21 satellite stations.

 

The satellite stations are located in Thika, Meru, Nyeri, Garrisa, Kitale, Lodwar, Bungoma,Busia,Migori,Kisii,Kericho,Narok,Nandi,Machakos,Voi,Malindi,Lamu,Kitui, Wajir,Naivasha and  Kwale.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, An adequate and reliable supply of safe blood can be assured through a stable base of regular, voluntary, unpaid blood donors. These donors are also the safest group of donors as the prevalence of blood borne infections is lowest among them.

 

In Kenya, 2 of every 3 units of blood are transfused to mothers and children. It is however very unfortunate to know that Kenya has a relatively high maternal mortality ratio compared to the western world at 362 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. The leading cause of maternal mortality is bleeding just before or after childbirth or due to a miscarriage, induced abortions and other pregnancy related complications such as tubal pregnancy. About 60% of blood is used to transfuse children and women in Kenya.

 

Kenya needs about 450,000 units of blood annually, last year the Kenya National Blood Transfusion service collected a total of 164,275 units of blood, representing 91.3% of the annual target of 180,000 units. Every 10 minutes about 7 Kenyans need blood and are at risk of dying if it is not available. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) standard for Kenya to claim blood sufficiency we need at least 1% of the 45 million Kenyans to donate blood once in a year, this would give us 450,000 units of blood.

 

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, To mitigate the scenario of perennial blood shortage the Kenya National Blood Transfusion Service  have adopted various strategies including targeting the adult blood donors and upscaling effective donor education and communication. We are also encouraging walk-in blood donors to our facilities across the country as a measure of reducing the cost of collecting blood.

 

Currently we are serving 500 transfusing hospitals nationally with blood and blood products. These facilities are public, private and faith based. We have also stepped up our haemovigilance capacity to guarantee safety from our end and to the facility.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am excited about Terumo BCT setting a base in Nairobi, clearly they had a variety of countries where this could be done but they chose Kenya, indeed it is a privileged.  I am reliably informed that this will also be a training centre for various professionals in the blood sector in the region; I trust that our people and indeed our country will leap the highest benefit.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, The health care delivery system in Kenya today is geared towards adopting technology based solutions to surmount the challenges that we face on a day today basis and therefore we need to venture more into therapeutic epheresis which is a major strength of Terumo BCT. This will make blood components available to patients on time and at an affordable rate.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, as we roll out the Universal Health Coverage, adequate and safe blood for transfusion will be a key component of its success since availability of blood reduces hospital stay for patients thus reducing the cost of health care to patients and their relatives.

 

Finally Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to appreciate blood donors, development partners and stakeholders who have over the years stood with us in our effort of improving access to health care for Kenyans.

 

It is now my present duty to declare the Terumo BCT, first regional office in sub-Saharan Africa, Nairobi officially opened.

 

Thankyou.

 

 

After Donation

Post donation:

Keep the strip bandage on for the next several hours; to avoid a skin rash, clean the area around the bandage with soap and water.

Don’t do any heavy lifting or vigorous exercise for the rest of the day.

If the needle site starts to bleed, apply pressure and raise your arm straight up for 5-10 minutes or until bleeding stops.

If you experience dizziness or light-headedness, stop what you’re doing and sit down or lie down until you feel better; avoid performing any activity where fainting may lead to injury for at least 24 hours.

Keep eating a well-balanced diet especially one rich in iron.

Ready to Help Save a Life?

Find a convenient blood drive near you and schedule an appointment to donate today.

During Donation

Day of your donation:

Drink extra water (or other non-alcoholic drink) before your appointment.

Eat a healthy meal, avoiding fatty foods like hamburgers, fries or ice cream.

Wear a shirt with sleeves that you can roll up above your elbows.

Let us know if you have a preferred arm or particular vein that has been used successfully in the past to draw blood.

Relax, listen to music, talk to other donors or read while you donate.

Before Donation

BEFORE DONATION

  • Haemoglobin level should be 12.5g/dl
  • Normal blood pressure
  • Weight at 50kg and above
  • Aged 16-65 years
  • Donor should not be under any medication
  • Donors should not have been vaccinated in the recent past
  • Individual suffering from chronic illness like asthma, High blood pressure are not eligible
  • Women are not allowed to donate during their menstrual period
  • Breastfeeding and pregnant women are not allowed to donate
  • DONATION FREQUENCY

Men: Every three months

Women: Every four months

Eat a nutritious, well-balanced diet with foods rich in iron and high in vitamin C.

History of Blood Transfusion

First successful human blood transfusion was done in 1818 by Dr. James Blundell to treat postpartum haemorrhage, later in 1900 Karl Landsteiner discovered the  ABO blood group system.

Approximately A total of 36 human blood group systems exists with 346 antigens which are now recognized by the International Society of Blood Transfusion.  The two most important blood group systems are ABO and the Rhesus (Rh) blood group systems which are used to determine someone’s blood group which may be A, B, AB and O, with +, − . Rhesus positive individuals i.e. A+ ,B+, AB+ and O+ poses Rh antigen on the surface of their cells while Rhesus negative individuals i.e. A-, B-, AB- and O- do not pose Rh antigen on the surface of their cells. The presence or absence of rhesus antigen does not mean presence or absence of a disease pathogen or infection.

For safety in blood transfusion, patients receiving blood must have their blood groups matched with compatible blood group from blood donors as illustrated in the table below.

Blood Type Donate Blood To Receive Blood From
A+ A+ AB+ A+ A-O+ O-
O+ O+ A+ B+ AB+ O+ O-
B+ B+ AB+ B+ B- O+ O-
AB+ AB+ Everyone
A- A+ A- AB+ AB- A-     O-
O- Everyone O-
B- B+ B- AB+ AB- B-     O-
AB- AB+ AB- AB- A- B- O-

Testing of blood

Screening of donated blood for transfusion transmissible infections

Donated blood is screened for Syphilis; Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV which can be transmitted through an otherwise unsafe blood.

Highly sensitive methods are used to screen the blood to ensure that the risk of getting an infection through a blood transfusion is eliminated

Only units that are found to be free from the above infections are transfused.

Blood is also tested to determine the donor ABO blood group as well as the Rhesus phenotype.

All blood donors are notified of the status of the four transmissible diseases from the donated blood and their ABO-Rh group for free after blood donation.

Blood Group Basics

Approximately A total of 36 human blood group systems exist with 346 antigens which are now recognized by the International Society of Blood Transfusion.  The two most important blood group systems are ABO and the Rhesus (Rh) blood group systems which are used to determine someone’s blood group which may be A, B, AB and O, with +, − . Rhesus positive individuals i.e. A+ ,B+, AB+ and O+ poses Rh antigen on the surface of their cells while Rhesus negative individuals i.e. A-, B-, AB- and O- do not pose Rh antigen on the surface of their cells. The presence or absence of rhesus antigen does not mean presence or absence of a disease pathogen or infection.

For safety in blood transfusion, patients receiving blood must have their blood groups matched with compatible blood group from blood donors as illustrated in the table below.

 

Blood Type Donate Blood To Receive Blood From
A+ A+ AB+ A+ A-O+ O-
O+ O+ A+ B+ AB+ O+ O-
B+ B+ AB+ B+ B- O+ O-
AB+ AB+ Everyone
A- A+ A- AB+ AB- A-     O-
O- Everyone O-
B- B+ B- AB+ AB- B-     O-
AB- AB+ AB- AB- A- B- O-

 

How Blood is Used

Blood and blood products have different uses depending on the patient’s/recipient’s ailment. KNBTS issues blood as Red Packed Blood Cells, Fresh Frozen Plasma, Platelets, Cryoprecipitate and Whole Blood.

Red Blood Cells

Red blood cell transfusions are used to treat haemorrhage and to improve oxygen delivery to tissues. Transfusion of red blood cells should be based on the patient’s clinical condition. Indications for transfusion include symptomatic anaemia (causing shortness of breath, dizziness, congestive heart failure, and decreased exercise tolerance), acute sickle cell crisis, and acute blood loss of more than 30 percent of blood volume.

Plasma

Plasma products available include fresh frozen plasma is recommended in patients with active bleeding. Fresh frozen plasma is indicated for correction of coagulation abnormalities.

Platelets

Platelet transfusion may be indicated to prevent haemorrhage in patients with thrombocytopenia or platelet function defects.

Cryoprecipitate

Cryoprecipitate is prepared by thawing fresh frozen plasma and collecting the precipitate.

This blood product is usually indicated for conditions like; Haemorrhage after cardiac surgery, Massive haemorrhage or transfusion, Surgical bleeding

Whole Blood

Whole blood, if available, may be indicated for large volume haemorrhage, such as seen with major trauma, requiring massive transfusion and rapid correction of anemia, coagulopathy, acidosis, and hypothermia

 

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