TARIME.Tarime District Hospital faces an acute
shortage of safe blood as well as blood-testing equipment, a situation
that poses serious health risks to patients in need of blood
transfusion.
According to a hospital official, the demand for
safe blood for patients in need of blood transfusion at the hospital
stands at an average of four units a day.
“This means that we need at least 28 units of
blood in a week in order to meet the demand,” the hospital’s coordinator
of laboratory services, Mr Joshua Makoa, told The Citizen in a recent interview.
According to Mr Makoa, the hospital normally
receive 30 units of blood for three-month use from the Medical Store
Department (MSD)Bugando office. “The 30 units of blood can last for a
month only,” he noted.
“Due to the prevailing shortage, the lives of most
victims of accidents, expectant mothers as well as other patients in
need of blood transfusion were at risk,” added Mr Makoa.
The hospital’s lab coordinator said lack of a
blood-testing equipment, known as enzyme-linked immunossorbent assay
(Elisa), made it difficult for the hospital to instantly examine blood
donated by patient’s relatives and other good Samaritan. According to
him, the equipment can deliver blood test results within 15 minutes. “We
are compelled to sent donated blood to Bugando Referral Hospital for
testing,” said Mr Makoa.
Apart from the blood screening equipment, Tarime
District Hospital also lack other important facilities, including a
blood bank, for storing donated blood.Read more
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