Charles Ariko
12 July 2009
Kampala — HEALTH workers who extort money from patients in need of blood will be de-registered and sacked, a member of the Health Service Commission has warned.
Apollo Karugaba said the commission was receiving reports from the staff of the Uganda Blood Transfusion Services and the public that some individuals demand money for blood transfusion in some health institutions, yet the blood is donated freely.
Karugaba appealed to the public to help the commission identify such workers, whom he said had no place in the health service.
"We have a duty to protect the public," Karugaba said during a visit by members of the Health Service Commission to the Nakasero Blood Bank in Kampala.
"In some hospitals, they tell the patients that they don't have blood and ask them for money to reportedly pick the blood from Nakasero Blood Bank," a staff member at the blood bank revealed.
This, according to the staff, has created the impression that Nakasero Blood Bank 'sells' blood.
The acting director of the blood bank, Dr. Dorothy Byabazaire, said such extortion by health workers makes it difficult for them to solicit blood donations from the public.
He also noted that when some of their relatives are in need of blood, they are made to pay for it, a situation that makes them less appreciative of the need to donate blood.
Byabazaire revealed that about 200,000 units of blood are required in the country annually.
He added that of the units required, only 140, 000 were collected in 2008 and distributed to 220 health facilities.
She explained that 50% of the blood is used by children while 25% goes to pregnant women.
The remaining 25% caters for accident victims and other medical cases.
Byabazaire said the need for blood is estimated to increase at a rate of 20% per year.
She said the $45 (about sh90,000) used to process a unit of blood was expensive for the blood bank.
The commission's chairperson, Prof. George Kiirya , urged the public not to shy away from exposing corrupt people.
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