The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Mbale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Mbale Regional Referral Hospital has been battling blood shortage for the past three weeks exposing the lives of patients in need of blood transfusion to danger.
Unconfirmed reports from the hospital show that 19 patients died last week within 72 hours, some due to lack of blood for transfusion.
Dr. Emmanuel Tugaineyo, the Director of Mbale Regional Referral Hospital confirmed to URN last week that they were sourcing blood from Nakasero blood bank due to the shortage at the facility.
He explained that the units of blood the hospital is getting from Mbale regional blood bank are inadequate to meet their needs.
Patrick Ekomera, the senior administrator of Mbale Regional Referral Hospital said they are battling the shortage of specific blood groups, which is affecting the entire region.
He blames the problem on the high volume of patients they receive at the referral, who should have ideally received treatment at lower health facilities.
Didas Atwebembere, the principle lab technologist at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital says that the hospital only receives 30 units of blood per day against the over hundred patients in need of blood transmission.
Dr. Ahmed Bumba, the director Mbale Regional blood bank says that they need at least 5,000 units of blood monthly against their current target of 3,000 units.
He revealed that in September alone, Mbale Regional Referral Hospital received more than 1,000 units of blood, which was also consumed at a very fast rate.
Isaac Kaseebe, one of the patient attendants who had an anaemic child told our reporter that when they arrived at the hospital at around 3:00pm, medical workers in the Acute ward asked for Shillings 20,000 to get blood for his dying son.
*****
URN
