Kenya National Blood Transfusion Service data shows that the collected units dropped 17 per cent to 136,305 units.
The blood transfusion agency says collections were hurt by limited funding as well as the Covid-19 pandemic that hit Kenya from mid-March.
Blood donations dipped to a four-year low in the year to June after donors withdrew funding, worsening situation in Kenya, which requires as much as one million units annually.
The Kenya National Blood Transfusion Service data shows that the collected units dropped 17 per cent to 136,305 units from 164,275 units the previous financial year.
The fall was a further drift from the 200,000 units that had been targeted for the year, forcing thousands of patients in dire need of the commodity to turn to social media for support from well-wishers.
The blood transfusion agency says collections were hurt by limited funding as well as the Covid-19 pandemic that hit Kenya from mid-March.
“Targets (was) not met due to inadequate funds as a result of donor pullout,” said the agency.
“(There was) inadequate supply of required blood bags and inability to conduct drives due to lack of blood mobile sessions.”
The closure of schools to reduce Covid-19 infections also hurt blood donations given that students form a key pool of donors.
In some regions in the country, patients requiring critical procedures like surgery have been forced to take longer in hospitals as blood comes in trickles due to shortage.
The Health ministry warned last year the exit of donors after Kenya was classified as a middle-income country in 2014 would hurt blood donations.
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