Blood shortage hits health facilities

Arua. Arua Regional Referral Hospital and other health facilities in the district are facing a shortage of blood after the regional blood bank failed to collect enough blood.
The blood shortage in West Nile has created a crisis in the health facilities and left hundreds of patients stranded and some have died in the process.
The main hospital in Arua has been forced to suspend blood transfusion operations for some patients who need blood until further notice.
The acting regional director of Arua regional blood bank, Mr Gilbert Anguyo, confirmed the crisis and explained that they did not have enough blood to supply the health centres.
Daily Monitor understands that blood shortage in West Nile has been further compounded by the intermittent power outages and the long holiday period of students who are major blood donors.
“We don’t have enough blood to supply the hospital and other health centres. The hospital has deferred some of the patients who need blood transfusion and in the process we have lost some lives,” Mr Anguyo said.
Mr Agunyo, however, could not reveal the number of patients who have died as a result of lack of blood transfusion. He said he did not have the figures at hand but explained that last week, a patient who was referred from Angal hospital in Nebbi to Arua in need of blood transfusion died on the way.
The blood bank has as a result launched an appeal for blood donation in coordination with National Social Security Fund (NSSF).
The crisis in West Nile came to limelight a day after this newspaper reported that the country was facing a shortage of 140,000 blood units. The director of Uganda Blood Transfusion Services, Ms Doroth Kyeyune, told Daily Monitor that the country requires at least 340,000 units of blood annually as recommended by the World Health Organisation, yet about 200,000 units are collected.
Mr Anguyo also singled out parts of Arua and Maracha district for having poor attitude towards blood donation and applauded Nebbi residents for being the largest blood donors in the region.
Mr Paul Lifua, the relationship manager at NSSF Arua branch said the blood donation campaign was being conducted in ten towns across the country. “Our target is to collect around 6,000 units of blood so that we can save lives,” Mr Lifua said.
Ms Domitilla Bileru, a resident of Omugo Sub-county, whose mother was referred to Arua hospital from Omugo Health Centre IV asked the government through the Health ministry to rescue his mother who needed blood transfusion but could not get blood.
“My mother is anemic and needs a blood transfusion urgently. However, we were told to be patient as hospital workers are still mobilising blood. We are hopeful that it will be acquired,” she said.

Issues at hand
Shortage. The crisis in West Nile came to limelight a day after this newspaper reported that the country was facing a shortage of 140,000 blood units. The director of Uganda Blood Transfusion Services, Ms Doroth Kyeyune, told Daily Monitor that the country requires at least 340,000 units of blood annually as recommended by the World Health Organisation, yet about 200,000 units are collected.
Drive. The blood bank has as a result launched an appeal for blood donation in coordination with National Social Security Fund.