The highest blood donor in the world one Arjun Prasad Mainali will be visiting Kenya on 10th of September 2019.
Mainali who is a citizen of the United States of America and a native of Nepal has donated blood for 171 times and has reached millions of people globally with blood donation messages in his numerous crusades and blood donation campaigns.
Out of the 171 donations he has made, 122 of them were whole blood while 49 were platelets concentrates. He has been donating blood for the last 32 years. Cumulatively Mr. Mainali has donated a total of 85.5 liters of whole blood and platelets combined. Going by the World Health Organization (WHO) standards of one unit of blood saving 3 lives, he has saved the lives of 513 people.
The award winning donor has been awarded Leo of the Year Award, Presidential Volunteer Service Award, Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition, Leader of the Year from Nepalese Association in Southeast America among others.
In receiving this global leader, the Kenya National Blood Transfusion, Tissue and Human Organ Transplant Service will conduct a weeklong blood drive from 9th to 13th September at the Kenya National Archives grounds in Nairobi CBD. Mr Mainali and our highest male and female blood donors Alpha Kennedy Sanya and Aisha Dafalla respectively are expected to donate blood on the 11th September 2019 at 11.00am at the venue.
The activity that is expected to be graced by high profile government and corporate leaders will serve as a platform for education, advocacy, promotion and awareness creation among the Kenyan public on the importance of blood donation.
It’s Wednesday afternoon and members of staff at Nairobi RBTC have moved to the gazebo area to have lunch as they catch up on each other’s welfare. A few minutes into lunch, a donor is received at the reception desk and escorted to the donor clinic. This donor is unlike any other donor the facility has received since the start of the year- its 64-year-old Mzee Richard Kang’ethe; a committed and selfless donor who has made it his ritual to visit the blood bank any time he’s in Nairobi. So, who is Richard Kang’ethe?
Mr. Kang’ethe is a farmer by profession and resides in his farm house in Ol Kalou, Nyandarua county. He became a regular blood donor after he made his first donation in 1972 while studying at Pumwani Secondary school. Today was Richard’s final donation as he turns 65 in a month’s time. He talks to me about how his interest in donating blood peaked after a visit to his school by a team of blood donation workers. “The idea of donating blood for others was still at its infancy stages in the country as most people were not well aware of the practice. But ever since my first donation, I’ve adhered to making at least two donations in a year!” He says as he keenly fills his consent form. Richard’s selfless commitment to saving lives has turned him into a frequent visitor at the blood bank, journeying between Nairobi and Nakuru RBTCs to give his life-saving unit of blood. This explains the fervor with which he was received with by the staff at Nairobi RBTC as soon as he walked in.
‘We were wondering where you have been, it’s been a while since we last saw you!’ One of the nurses says as she watches Mr Kang’ethe filling his consent form. It is then that he discloses that he was in Nairobi to study for his accounting exams at the American Embassy library; a revelation that takes us all by surprise after understanding just how serious he is about educating himself further, even at his age.
Mzee Richard Kang’ethe filling his blood donor consent form before donating blood at the walk-in donor clinic in RBTC Nairobi.
He finishes filling his donor consent form and I escort him into the donor clinic where I leave him for a one-on-one conversation with the nurse. He soon walks out to the donation area after getting the go-ahead to donate. I’m amazed by his altruistic character even as we digressed into talking about the delayed rains and how that has affected his farming activities. I ask him what keeps him motivated to give blood; his response was quite simple and profound at the same time: “Saving lives is a noble course. It’s our brothers and sisters who need this blood, so why not give if you can?”
Mzee Richard Kang’ethe getting his blood pressure and HB level checked before he is given the go-ahead to donate blood.Mzee Richard donates blood at Nairobi RBTC
He fills up his blood bag in a surprisingly short time after which he is served with his refreshments and a branded key-chain. Other members of staff walk in to bid him farewell and to thank him for the years he has been a selfless life saver.
Every donor plays a critical role in ensuring that our country becomes blood sufficient, without voluntary donations, we cannot meet the demands from hospitals. Every donation makes a real difference and it is only by joining hands that we can be able to save even more lives together. Blood donors are lifesavers.
You can join Richard and others like him in the journey towards making Kenya a blood sufficient country by registering to donate blood on the NBTS website. Follow this link to register as a donor: https://nbtskenya.or.ke/register-as-a-donor/
After donation, blood is mechanically separated into various components
The most common components are Packed Red cells components; Platelets concentrates, Fresh Frozen Plasma, and Cryoprecipitate
These components are used in treatment of different blood disorders
Storage of blood and blood components
Whole blood (unseparated) is stored refrigerated at +2 0 C to + 60 C for up to 35 days
Platelet concentrates are stored at +20 0 C + 240 C for up to 5 days with constant agitation
Fresh frozen plasma and cryoprecipitate are stored frozen at -20 0 C to -24 0 C for up to 3 months, -250 C to -29 0 C for up to 6 months, -30 0 C to -39 0 C for 12 months; -40 0 C to -64 0 C for 24 months and -65 0 C and below for 7 years or longer.
