Turkana County earmarked for vehicle and medical equipment donation to strengthen blood services

LODWAR – Satelite blood transfusion center is set to receive a utility vehicle, a blood processing machine and cold chain equipment from the Kenya National Blood Transfusion Service in the next month to strengthen the unit.

This was confirmed by the head of the North Rift region blood transfusion service Mr. Thomas Rotich during the commemoration of this year’s World Blood Donors Day at the Lodwar County Referral Hospital in Turkana.

According to Mr. Rotich, the regional office which also serves six other counties had severally received Turkanas’ request on the issue before resolving to extend the support as the need for quality blood service kept rising owing to the rapid urbanization of the County.

Rotich added that the support will also be accompanied by capacity-building opportunities targeting blood bank staff on the use of the machines moving forward.

Jane Ajele, the County CEC for Health Services expressed gratitude of the County towards the support and said that the donation will enable the unit improve the turn around time of it’s services to it’s local and international clients.

CEC Ajele called on the locals to keep up the spirit of voluntary donation beyond the World blood donor day as the only means of populating the satellite center with sufficient blood for medical transfusion.

While making reference to the highest blood donor in the County with 31 donations, CEC Ajele said that the County was looking forward to creating more champions across the county to serve rural facilities operating at the sub county and ward levels too.

The event was also attended by Vincent Palor (CEC Water), Capt. Rtd Augustine Lokwang’ (Chief officer office of the Governor) and the host chief officer Dr. Charles Lochodo as well as aspiring politicians who all donated blood as a show of solidarity with the world.