Government Responds to Claims That Donated Blood in Kenya Is Being Exported

The Ministry of Health has issued a clarification, unequivocally denying any export of donated blood from Kenya and labeling posts on social media as “misleading”.

In a press release on May 6, Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale stated that the ministry has never exported any donated blood or components for manufacturing abroad.

The clarification was a response to online discussions referencing data from World Integrated Trade Solutions on Kenyan exports of “Human and animal blood; microbial cultures” in 2024.

According to the ministry, the stated trade category is a general customs classification that can include a wide array of medical and laboratory items, such as vaccines, toxins, antisera, microbial cultures, and other lab items.

“This classification does not cover donated blood that is collected for transfusion services”, he said in the statement.

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Trade Flow Statistics and Local Blood Product Production

Duale also explained that statistics from the WITS data could have included items shipped by multinational corporations that use Kenya as an intermediate warehousing and transit hub and then redistribute within the East African region.

He explained that Kenya does not produce any antisera for blood grouping nor blood products derived from plasma and does not conduct plasma fractionation.

“As such, any blood products consumed in the country were either produced locally from donations for national blood services or imported from foreign accredited manufacturers”, he added.

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Combating Misinformation and Enhancing National Blood Services

The CS then urged the public to approach trade flow statistics with a critical eye and obtain their facts directly from the Ministry of Health.

He concluded by assuring that the ministry would cooperate with investigative bodies to identify and prosecute any individuals or entities spreading false health information through illegal channels.

“The Ministry of Health will engage relevant investigating authorities in an effort to locate and apprehend individuals engaging in the dissemination of misleading health information to the public,” Duale stated.

He also reiterated the ministry’s commitment to enhancing the national blood service for the benefit of all Kenyans.

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Public Notice Released from the Ministry of Health stating Kenya’s blood export data covers vaccines, not donated blood. PHOTO/ X MOH