Red Cross blood donor Mombasa branch Coordinator Ben Ekaka donating blood. (Photo/Maxwell)
The Kenya Red Cross Mombasa branch is calling on Mombasa resident to donate blood so that the humanitarian organization can save lives in case of emergencies.
Kenya Red Cross Mombasa branch Coordinator Rajab Mohammed Said said that the blood drives conducted in Mombasa are meant to help Mombasa blood bank get enough blood to save lives in various hospitals at the Coast.
Speaking in Mombasa on Tuesday, Rajab said that the humanitarian body is highly depending on locals and students during their blood drives and appealed to locals in Mombasa to donate blood voluntarily so as to help patients in need of blood in various hospitals in the Coast region.
“We need enough blood at the national blood transfusion center located at the Coast Provincial General Hospital in Mombasa so that none of the patients loses life because of blood deficit,” added Rajab.
He said that all the six Coastal counties were highly depending on the national blood transfusion center and expressed fear that if the center lacks blood then the region is put at risk.
According to Rajab, the blood drive depends more on students in schools and if schools are closed then it faces a lot of challenges.
“We have been visiting schools and other higher learning institutions but since the schools break for holidays, we are forced to implement other ways of urging the public to respond and donate blood.”
He said that hospitals as far as in Lamu and Tana river counties were highly depending on the Red Cross blood bank to manage emergencies especially during road accidents and in the maternity wings.