On the second day of my Northern Kenya regional development tour, I officially launched the Northern Regional Blood Transfusion Centre and unveiled the Guidelines for the Appropriate Use of Blood, Blood Components and Blood Products at Garissa County Referral Hospital during the 2026 World Blood Donor Day commemorations.
This landmark facility is a major boost to healthcare delivery in North Eastern Kenya, bringing safe and timely blood transfusion services closer to the people of Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Tana River and parts of Isiolo and Kitui counties.
By eliminating the need to transport blood samples to Nairobi for screening and processing, the Centre will significantly reduce turnaround times, strengthen emergency response and improve patient outcomes.
Equipped with modern screening technology and expanded storage capacity, the facility will support the processing of over 40,000 blood units annually, enhancing the region's preparedness to respond to medical emergencies and saving countless lives.
I commend our development partners for their invaluable support in the establishment of this facility through a joint investment of approximately KSh 100 million, demonstrating our shared commitment to equitable access to quality healthcare.
To further strengthen maternal and newborn healthcare services, I also flagged off seven state-of-the-art obstetric theatre beds donated through the support of the World Health Organization (WHO), part of a consignment of 108 units being distributed across 15 counties to enhance emergency obstetric care and improve maternal health outcomes nationwide.
I was accompanied by the Ministry's Director for Kenya Blood Transfusion and Transplant Services Dr. Martin Sirengo, Ministry's Family Health Director Dr. Bashir Issak, Secretary Administration State Department for Public Health Adan Harakhe, at an event hosted by Garissa County Governor Nathif Jama alongside senior national and county officials.