REPORT HEALTH WORKERS SELLING BLOOD

 

GOVERNMENT has appealed to the public to report health staff workers in public hospitals who ask for money in exchange of blood for their patients.

Minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Ummy Mwalimu, made the call in a speech read on her behalf by the Manager for National Blood Transfusion Service for Eastern Zone, Dr Avelina Mgasa.

Dr Mgasa said this at the launch of a campaign dubbed ‘Boda Boda Changia Damu Mwenzio Aishi.’ The countrywide campaign is meant to encourage motorcycle riders to donate blood in order to save lives of people involved in the road accidents.

Dr Mgasa noted that a huge amount of blood donated in the country goes to 15 percent people injured in accidents, 30 percent to women, 50 percent to children and the remaining 5 percent going to operations.

The Executive Director of the Anti-Poverty and Environmental Care (APEC), which coordinates the campaign, Respicius Timanywa, said his organisation plans to collect 500 litres of blood per month during the campaign. He appealed for support from the Ministry of Health to ensure the campaigns goes to every corner of the country.