NAIROBI,Kenya Nov 14 – Young innovators from five African countries have developed digital solutions to help hospitals track blood supplies, anticipate shortages and coordinate the movement of blood between facilities, in an effort to address persistent gaps in blood management across the continent.
The innovations were showcased during the Terumo BCT Africa Hackathon 2026, held at Strathmore University in Nairobi on Friday, November 13, where five finalist teams presented working software prototypes designed to improve the management of blood from donation and storage to transfusion.
The projects seek to address challenges arising from fragmented hospital and blood bank information systems, which often make it difficult for healthcare workers to establish where blood is available, particularly when patients require urgent transfusions.
Speaking during the showcase, Digital Health Agency (DHA) Director of Digital Health and Informatics Dr Jeremiah Mumo called for technology that responds to practical challenges within the country’s healthcare system, including the lack of real-time information on blood availability.
“We are looking for a system which will be able to predict, which will be able to give the correct analysis and status of blood in the country,” he said.
Team Relay, comprising Kenyan and Nigerian innovators, emerged the overall winner, taking home a USD 5,000 prize for developing HemoGrid, a digital platform designed to help hospitals identify available blood stocks…
