Director of Medical Services Dr Jackson Kioko Officially launching the Sh200 million blood grouping machine in Kisumu, September 28, 2017. [Photo|hivisasa.com]
The government has purchased digital blood grouping machines to hasten the process of screening and classifying blood at the eight regional blood transfusion centres.
The purchase is part of the Ministry of Health’s Sh200 million programme to revolutionize the centres alongside other satellite stations across the country.
Director of Medical Services Dr Jackson Kioko said the shift from manual blood grouping to digital will ensure that blood is availed to health facilities faster whenever need arises.
The manual grouping, he disclosed takes between 2-3 days but with the new machines up to a tune of 176 samples could be analysed and grouped within 3 hours.
The machines, he added have the capability of separating blood at the same time produce profiles within a short time.
Speaking at the Kisumu Regional Blood Transfusion Center where he officially launched one of the machines, Dr Kioko said through the machines, blood can be separated to get red blood cells, plasma and platelets to meet various needs at health facilities across the country.
Cases of Hepatitis B which is a chronic disease, he said are able to be detected faster using the machines urging Kenyans to take advantage of the investment and donate blood.
Hepatitis B, he said was on the increase across the country urging Kenyans to embrace blood donation where they can get tested for free.
He attributed the high prevalence of the disease to consumption of maize contaminated with aflatoxin and sexually transmitted diseases.
The country’s blood stocks, he assured were sufficient but called for concerted efforts to ensure that they don’t shrink.