Kenya to probe illegal sale of blood to Somalia

The Ministry of Health has invited the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to probe a syndicate of criminals involved in the theft of donated blood after it emerged the country’s blood bank is facing an acute shortage.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, Thursday said blood donated by Kenyans has been traced to Somalia and other neighbouring countries in what appears to be a case of a criminal syndicate diverting the much-needed commodity for monetary gain.

Kagwe indicated the current blood shortage crisis has been occasioned by people he termed as immoral blood auctioneers, who have ignored the plight of Kenyans.

“We have asked the DCI to intervene,” the CS told a press conference on Thursday, ahead of meeting to discuss how to seal some of the glaring loopholes.

According to statistics, only one percent of Kenyans donated blood in the 2018/2019 fiscal year to provide 164,000 units, against the required 1 million units needed annually.

Already, CS Kagwe said there is a pending Bill which once enacted into the law will ensure Kenya’s blood is tamper-proof from the scavenging hands of corrupt officials.

His plans, the CS said, include making sure the blood is donated at the regional level.

“The idea is to regionalize the whole blood collection process. And one of the areas is addressing the people who give us blood,” he said.

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“Blood donors are patriots who give it, so that they can support someone else.”

Other plans include going hi-tech on the management of blood such that it will be easy to track how it was used, probable beneficiaries and so on.

The blood shortage is also attributed to insufficient funding occasioned by end of US donor-supported outreach programme, meant to ensure more Kenyans donate blood this year.