Meru governor Mutuma M’Ethingia has urged residents to embrace the culture of donating blood in a bid to help those who are in need of it.
He said residents know at least one person whose life hangs in the balance while waiting for blood.
He gave three accounts of people whose lives were saved because of blood donations.
“In the year 2022 baby Makena from Kiutine fell critically ill due to severe anemia caused by malaria. She was barely holding on when she was rushed to Meru Level Five hospital Thanks to a unit of blood available at the Meru blood transfusion satellite center, her life was saved and now the six year old is okay,” Mutuma said.
He said Martha Kathure, a mother from Laare underwent a complicated delivery last year and lost a lot of blood but because of blood transfusion she survived.
He said David Mworia, a boda boda rider from Nkubu who was involved in a tragic motorcycle accident but was saved after a blood transfusion.
The Meru governor said that no Meru resident should die because of lack of blood.
He spoke on Tuesday during a mass blood donation drive at the Meru county headquarters in collaboration with Kenya Red Cross.
“You might donate blood thinking it will help other people only later to find out that you are the one who will come to require it after getting an accident. So I urge Meru residents to donate blood to support our patients and especially cancer patients because cancer drains the body of a patient,” he said.
The county boss donated blood as an example to encourage and motivate residents to embrace blood donation.
He said in May during President Ruto visit to Meru he promised to send officials from the national government to inspect the Meru level Five hospital so that it can be taken over by the national government.
