Detailed Mechanism Funding and Narrative

Details for Mechanism ID: 4280
Country/Region: Kenya
Year: 2007
Main Partner: U.S. Department of State
Main Partner Program: Regional Procurement Support Office - Frankfurt
Organizational Type: Other USG Agency
Funding Agency: enumerations.State/African Affairs
Total Funding: $320,000

Funding for Biomedical Prevention: Blood Safety (HMBL): $320,000

1. LIST OF RELATED ACTIVITIES This activity is linked to Track 1 funding for the National Blood Transfusion Service in blood safety (#7011) and to the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), also in blood safety (#6840).

2. ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION The USG supported the establishment of a national blood transfusion service in Kenya with six regional blood banks following the Embassy bombings (1998-2004). The national blood transfusion service's regional blood banks have since contributed to the ten-fold increase of blood units collected from low-risk volunteer donors and screened for transfusion transmissible infections including HIV starting at 8,000 in 2000 to 83,000 in 2005. Additional staff including nurses, laboratory technologists, data managers and blood donor recruiters with a marketing background have been employed in the last two years to facilitate increased blood collection, processing and data management. Each blood bank now has distinct departments for donor care, data management and finance and administration. Physical space within the blood banks now limits operational activities due to shortage of office space and storage facilities for both blood and consumables. Additional storage and office space for data management, administration and donor recruitment is required at four of the regional blood banks in Nakuru, Mombasa, Embu and Kisumu. The National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) has requested assistance in creating the required space. This funding will allow the extensions to each of the four regional blood banks to accommodate additional staff and thus facilitate greater efficiency in delivery of safe blood. Technical assistance in design of the facilities will be obtained from the American association of Blood Banks (AABB) who are a Track 1 partner.

3. CONTRIBUTIONS TO OVERALL PROGRAM AREA This activity will contribute to averting HIV transmission through blood transfusion, which is estimated to account for up to 10% of HIV infections worldwide. Adequate office accommodation will enhance planning of blood collection activities, staff training and data and commodities storage, retrieval and use.

4. LINKED ACTIVITIES This activity is linked to Track 1 funding in blood safety for the National Blood Transfusion Service (#7011) and the American Association of Blood Banks (#6840).

5. POPULATIONS BEING TARGETED This activity will improve the infrastructure of the NBTS banks. Targets and target populations are reported under the NBTS activity.

6. EMPHASIS AREAS COVERED This activity has major emphasis infrastructure development.

The National Blood Transfusion Service has decided to centralize all blood testing so as to ensure quality testing for HIV and other transfusion transmissible infections. Restructuring of the laboratory in Nairobi to accommodate necessary testing equipment and cold rooms for blood and sample storage has commenced for this purpose but additional funding is required. These funds will be used to avail back-up for electricity and water to ensure continuous testing and cold storage of blood and blood products. A freezer room will facilitate long term storage of fresh frozen plasma and plasma samples for the establishment of a look-back system.