Blood Storage Equipment in Mpika to Reduce Maternal Deaths

PDU Communications and Outreach Lead Besa Kyanamina (Left) inspecting blood bank equipment at Kasama General Hospital in the company of Enhanced Public Services Assistant Director Kalonde Mutuna (First from right) as blood bank coordinator Ackson Zulu (Second from left) looks on.

Patients in Mpika district, Muchinga province no longer need to travel nearly 200 kilometers to Chinsali for blood services. The district now boasts of blood storage equipment at the Micheal Chilufya Sata (MCS) General Hospital, capable of holding 250 units of blood.

This development has transformed the hospital into a blood storage facility for Mpika, Kanchibiya, and Lavushmanda districts, thanks to President Hakainde Hichilema’s commitment to improving medical facilities' access to blood services.

The Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU) is collaborating with the Zambia National Blood Transfusion Service (ZNBTS) to create a robust communications strategy aimed at increasing donor profiles and collecting 400,000 units of blood annually by 2026.

This initiative includes recruiting 250,000 new donors and 200,000 repeat donors nationwide to reach the target, ultimately reducing maternal and neonatal deaths caused by postpartum hemorrhage.

A team led by PDU Communications and Outreach Lead Besa Kyanamina is currently visiting Luapula and Northern provinces to conduct on-the-spot checks of drug and medical supplies in government health facilities, assess functional maternity annexes, and understand challenges in the health sector.

The team was pleased to learn that two blood bank refrigerators were recently procured with the help of the World Bank, eliminating the need for patients to travel 200 kilometers to Chinsali.

Ms. Kyanamina emphasized President Hichilema’s focus on maternal and newborn health, aiming to reduce maternal deaths to less than 100 per 100,000 live births by 2026.

“The President wants to lead a healthy nation, as a healthy nation is more productive. Let’s ensure mothers and babies remain safe before, during, and after birth,” Ms. Kyanamina said.

The team also inspected the maternity annex being done by the contractor and a mother’s shelter under construction with CDF, expected to be completed in August this year.

Hospital Superintendent Wamala Simukoko informed the PDU team that the new maternity annex and mother’s shelter will alleviate the current strain on the facility by providing dedicated space for childbirth.

“The annex once complete, can admit more than 20 mothers, and with an average of seven deliveries per day, it will be more than adequate,” Simukoko said.

In 2023, the MCS General Hospital in Mpika recorded 5 maternal deaths as a result of postpartum haemorrhage and 1 death so far has been recorded for the first and second quarter of 2024, signifying a reduction in Maternal deaths as a result of available blood.

Meanwhile, Procurement of new blood bank equipment and vehicles has increased the donor profile and collection of blood products to sufficiently service the blood bank at Kasama General Hospital in Northern province.

Kasama General Hospital blood bank coordinator Ackson Zulu told a team from the Presidential Delivery Unit that the Hospital was working around strengthening relationships with blood donors and bringing on board new ones, especially that funding for blood bank services was increased by three times by the New Dawn Government.

Mr. Zulu disclosed that the blood bank at the hospital was currently collecting 1,300 units of blood monthly, against a target of 3,000 units and that the target will soon be met as everything was being done to ensure maximum collection of blood.

"When we reach the 3,000 units’ target, we will also start sharing with the biggest Hospital in the country which is the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka as the blood will be more than sufficient," Mr. Zulu said.

The nation has a target to collect 400,000 units of blood per annum, with Kasama General Hospital currently collecting 15,600 against their set target to collect 36,000 units per annum and working around to achieve their set target with the procurement of new blood bank equipment, vehicles and maximised funding.