Senator Ojienda calls for urgent action on blood storage and disease outbreaks in Kisumu

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝟖 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

Sen Prof. Tom Ojienda (Kisumu) has urged the Senate Committee on Health to urgently address two critical public health issues: the ongoing blood storage crisis and a surge in infectious diseases in Kisumu County.

Sen Ojienda highlighted a significant gap in Kenya’s blood storage infrastructure, noting that the country’s cold chain system can only handle 65,000 units of blood—far below the national demand. This shortfall, particularly in counties like Kisumu, leads to wasted donations and delays in life-saving procedures. He called for a thorough evaluation of the storage infrastructure and better utilization of allocated funds to expand and modernize facilities, especially in underserved areas.

In addition, the Senator expressed concern over a rise in malaria, cholera and typhoid cases in Kisumu, exacerbated by limited access to prevention and treatment. He called for improved disease surveillance, better sanitation and more resources for public health facilities to combat these outbreaks.

Ojienda emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between national and county governments and urged swift action to prevent further public health crises.