Kenya’s blood services in crisis as World Bank ends Sh2.7 billion support

Kenya’s blood transfusion services are on the verge of collapse following the end of the World Bank’s Sh2.7 billion funding, leaving the country’s health system in a precarious position.

Health officials have raised the alarm, warning that without immediate intervention, critical blood transfusion activities will come to a halt.

The Ministry of Health has acknowledged the crisis, stating that the funding gap threatens key services such as blood collection, testing for infectious diseases, and the processing of blood components.

According to the ministry’s report titled "Impact of the United States Government Stop Work Order," the cessation of support has left the sector in urgent need of an alternative funding source.

“The blood programme, currently supported by a World Bank project that is set to conclude in March 2025, now confronts a funding void with no alternative support in place,” the ministry stated in the report.

The World Bank had been financing the country’s blood services after the US government withdrew its Sh2 billion annual support in 2020.

However, last month, the US also pulled its funding for Damu KE, the digital blood donation management system, further exacerbating the crisis.

The ministry warned that without proper maintenance of the system, key services that depend on data for decision-making would be compromised.

The funding shortfall follows a broader review of US foreign aid programmes.

On January 20, former US President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day review of foreign assistance, resulting in the termination of over 90 percent of foreign aid contracts globally, amounting to $60 billion.

In Kenya, the situation is worsened by the fact that the recently passed Supplementary Appropriation Act 2025 did not allocate funds to the Kenya Tissue and Transplant Authority, which oversees blood transfusion services.

Without a clear funding mechanism, the country’s blood supply is at risk of complete collapse.

Kenya has struggled with a persistent blood shortage for years.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, an average of 450 blood units were collected daily, but this figure has now dropped to between 120 and 140 units per day.

The country requires between 500,000 and one million units annually but only manages to collect 150,000 to 200,000 units.

Health stakeholders are now calling on the government to step in and address the crisis before it escalates.

They warn that if urgent measures are not taken to secure alternative funding, Kenya’s healthcare system will face dire consequences, putting thousands of lives at risk.