MorotoRegional Referral Hospitalis grappling with limited supplies of blood.
Dr. Alex Andema, the Hospital Director, told Uganda Radio Network that the hospital needed at least 25 units of blood per week to meet the overwhelming patients demands, majority of who are children suffering from anemia and mothers in labor.
Mbale referral hospital has been the nearest point of rescue, but Dr. Andema says the 10 units of blood received from Mbale are very little to sustain the demands.
With the blood shortages becoming endemic, Dr. Andema says the hospital is forced to refer more than 20 children and mothers to Matany Hospital in Napak district for proper health management. He said Moroto Hospital has no facility for blood storage bank and its difficult to conduct a blood donation drive.
But the worries over blood may soon be over, thanks to Nakasero Blood Bank which has accepted to supply 50 units of blood on a bi-weekly basis, to Moroto regional referral hospital
The first units of blood are expected next week, said Doctor Andema.
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