Four mothers die at Jinja Referral Hospital over lack of blood monthly

Jinja Regional Referral Hospital faces the unfortunate loss of approximately four mothers monthly, largely stemming from a trifecta of issues: blood scarcity, delayed referrals, and ensuing complications, as reported by DailyExpress.

In a recent interview with the publication, Hospital Director Dr. Alfred Yayi disclosed that some mothers suffer severe hemorrhaging, necessitating urgent blood transfusions that are often unavailable promptly. He emphasized the critical role of timely referrals and the availability of blood, especially in cases of ruptures causing bleeding.

Dr. Yayi highlighted the absence of a regional blood bank as a key challenge, forcing the hospital to seek blood from Kampala, a process that can be protracted, endangering patients’ lives. Efforts are underway to establish a regional blood bank for Busoga, addressing this pressing issue.

Moreover, the hospital is collaborating with local health facilities to enhance their capacity, particularly in performing cesarean sections, thereby reducing delays and preventing unnecessary deaths.

Despite the hospital’s efforts, the overall mortality rate stands at 4 per 1000 quarterly, prompting Dr. Yayi and his team to implement various measures to lower this figure.

Regarding childbirth statistics, Dr. Yayi noted that approximately 530 babies are born monthly at the hospital, with about 170 delivered via cesarean section. This high rate of cesarean deliveries is largely attributed to complex cases referred from lower-tier health facilities.