NAIROBI,Kenya Nov 14 – Kenya is pushing for a nationwide digital blood tracking system that would enable hospitals to monitor blood supplies in real time, anticipate shortages and coordinate transfers between facilities to ensure patients receive timely treatment during emergencies.
The proposed system would connect hospitals, blood banks and laboratories, allowing healthcare workers to establish where specific blood groups and components are available without relying on time-consuming manual inquiries.
The proposal emerged on Friday during the Terumo BCT Africa Hackathon 2026 at Strathmore University in Nairobi, where young innovators from Kenya and Nigeria showcased technology-driven solutions to improve blood collection, storage and distribution across the continent.
Digital Health Agency (DHA) Director of Digital Health and Informatics Dr Jeremiah Mumo said the absence of a connected information system was hampering the ability of hospitals to respond to urgent blood requests, even in situations where the required supplies were available at other facilities.
“One of our greatest opportunities today is to establish a real-time visibility of blood availability across the country. A system whereby we can be able to reach any blood bank to check the available blood groups and components with a click of a button,” he said.
Mumo said the proposed platform should give authorised healthcare professionals access to reliable information on available blood stocks across the country, enabling hospitals…
