Sale of blood at health facilities leaves patients' pockets bleeding

The theft of blood by a cartel of health workers at Nabiganda Health Centre IV in Butaleja District has placed hundreds of people meant to benefit at risk.

An investigation carried out by Uganda Blood Transfusion Service (UBTS) indicates that the health workers at the facility are stealing and selling blood to patients.

For instance, from January to August 24, the hospital was meant to receive 522 units of blood from UBTS, Mbale branch, but 128 units went missing.

Findings further show that in August, the facility received 45 units of blood, but 20 units went missing while in March, the facility received 102 units, but 27 units didn’t reach the facility.

“The blood leaves the blood bank in Mbale, but never reaches the facility. This means there is a group that ensures that some units go missing for personal gains,” Dr Ahmed Bumba, the manager of Mbale Regional Blood Bank, said at the weekend.

“From our record, Mr Musa Hamba, a laboratory assistant, picked eight units of blood on August 21 and the next day, the head of the laboratory, Mr William Odongo, also picked six units of blood. It is almost impossible that Nabiganda health facility can consume eight units of blood in one evening. We want to establish if that blood reached the facility,” Dr Bumba said. He added that a section of health workers is selling a unit of blood to patients at the facility for between Shs10,000 and Shs30,000, claiming they want to recover the money they use to pick the blood from the blood bank.

According to government policy, each government Health facility in the country gets money for Primary Health Care (PHCs) grants.

The investigation by UBTS, was initiated following rampant complaints from patients, accusing health workers at the facility of extorting money in exchange for blood.

The records further show that Nabiganda Health Centre IV uses more blood than Busolwe General Hospital, which handles more patients.

For instance, in the Financial Year of 2023/2024 shows that Nabiganda Health Centre IV consumed 831 units of blood while Busolwe General Hospital used 213 units of blood.

Dr Bumba said the people of Nabiganda Town Council recently refused to donate the blood, accusing the health officials at the facility for selling them blood and yet they donate freely.

“We expected to collect about 500 units of blood, but we ended up getting only 150 units due to corruption at the facility,”Dr Bumba said.

An insider, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Daily Monitor last Friday that some health workers connive with laboratory staff to sell blood.

“They connive to steal and sell blood. We are concerned because many patients come from poor backgrounds,” the source said.

It was not readily established who among the laboratory officials was or were involved in the scam.

The UBTS under the Ministry of Health has proposed a law stipulating tough penalties for anyone caught selling blood. The development, they say, will be key in addressing the persistent concerns of health facilities and workers putting a price on blood, which is donated freely by individuals.

Ms Madina Mugala, a teacher, said: "It is not easy to get blood transfusions in this area without paying some money to the medical officers. Just like drugs at government hospitals are not distributed for free, even blood is not given out for nothing."

When contacted the District Health Officer of Butaleja, Dr Adam Musiho, said he would call back after getting information from the facility. However, by press time, he had not.

However, the laboratory manager, Mr William Odongo said sometimes they get Shs10,000 for fuel to pick blood from Mbale Regional Blood Bank.

“What happens is that there are those people who cannot manage to go to Mbale, and [they] give us Shs10,000 to help them go and pick the blood,’’ Mr Odongo said.

Attempts to get clarification and explanation from the facility in-Charge, Dr Ivan Wambi, proved futile because he did not answer or return our calls.

Mr James Wire, the board chairperson for Busolwe General Hospital, said stealing of medical supplies is one of the biggest challenges in many hospitals.

“This is usually perpetrated by the hospital staff in collusion with willing buyers like nearby clinics. At the medical facility level, something like blood being easily smuggled out points to weak internal systems,”Mr Wire said.

The Assistant Resident District Commissioner, Mr Jimmy Nambiro, said they have started investigations into the matter.

The World Health Organisation’s global database on blood safety, a country should be able to collect blood equivalent to 1 percent of its population. Uganda has an estimated population of about 46 million but collects far below the required amount. 

According to the Health Ministerial Policy Statement for the Financial Year 2021/2022, it is estimated that 8,400 mothers are referred to regional referral hospitals annually because local health centres lack the capacity to perform obstetric care as they cannot transfuse blood.