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Soroti, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Shortage of blood has paralyzed services in the regional referral hospitals in North Eastern Uganda, putting the lives of several patients at stake. The affected facilities are Soroti, Lira and Moroto Regional Referral Hospitals.
At Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, the blood shortages worsened on Tuesday, after the breakdown of the blood screening machines at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital. Soroti Regional Referral Hospital relies on Mbale for blood screening since it doesn’t have machines.
The Soroti Hospital Director, Dr Ben Watmon says that at the moment, patients in need of blood have to move either to Mulago National Referral Hospital or any health facility. He, however, notes that the hospital has blood which is not screened.
Sharon Aarakit, a patient suffering from sickle cell was found helpless in Soroti hospital. Aarakit was supposed to get another unit of blood on Monday but there was no blood. Her attendants looked at her helplessly as the condition of the patient was deteriorating.
“She’s struggling to breathe as you can see. Her hands are pale, but we can’t do much,” said one of the attendants only identified as Jane.
Christine Acam, a mother to one of the children in the pediatric ward who needs blood says she can’t raise 600,000 Shillings needed to transport her and the baby to Mulago Hospital.
The Soroti Resident City Commissioner, Peter Pex Paak called upon the government to intervene by considering a blood bank with screening services in Soroti.
At Moroto Regional Referral Hospital, Dr. Stephen Pande, the Hospital Director said that they picked the last units of blood in the hospital from Nakasero Blood Bank.
Although he declined to divulge more, Moroto and Soroti hospitals pick blood from Mbale and Lira which have blood screening services.
Dr Nathan Onyaci, the Hospital Director of Lira Regional Referral Hospital says they struggling to manage patients who need blood.
“It’s a common problem here whenever learners go home for holidays. Our biggest blood donor group is students, and now that they’re home for holidays, the blood banks are dry,” he said on the phone.
According to Dr Watmon, the hospital is currently engaging the Ministry of Health to see ways of addressing the situation in order to save lives.
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