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Mbale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Mbale regional blood bank is struggling to raise the required units of blood to supply health facilities in the region. The blood bank has been hit severally by blood shortage since the nationwide lockdown started in March this year.
Dr. Ahmed Bumba, the manager Mbale regional blood bank says they have again run out blood and are currently rationing the little they are getting from the public. He explains that they collect the blood during the day and process it at night for distribution the next day.
Dr. Bumba says September has been their worst month in terms of blood collection because they were unable to raise even 50 percent of their targets of over 4000 units monthly.
He attributes this to the fact that the majority of the health workers at the facility including him tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease which affected their operations.
He reveals that on Monday this week, they only had six units of blood in stock which was a big blow to health facilities that needed blood for emergency services.
Dr. Bumba has appealed to all corporate institutions in the region to support the blood collection drive by encouraging their staff to donate blood.
Dr. David Okoth, the medical superintendent Pallisa hospital says they have referred several patients in need of blood transfusion to Mbale due to lack of blood at the facility.
“If the blood bank doesn’t have blood, we don’t have blood because that is the collection center. So what we do is to refer patients to Mbale before their situation deteriorates,” he said.
Dr. Ayubu Wangubo, the medical superintendent Kapchorwa general hospital says they secure some blood from Soroti regional blood bank.
“Right now we still have some blood that we got from Soroti through mutual understanding,” he said. Blood transfusion is used for various medical conditions to replace the lost components of blood.
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