SAMBURU- Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Saturday presided over this year’s national World Blood Donor Day celebrations in Samburu County, marking a transformative moment for Kenya’s healthcare system with the launch of two major health initiatives.
The CS officially commissioned the Samburu Blood Satellite Centre at the Samburu County Referral Hospital, a fully equipped facility featuring critical blood processing technology.
This milestone enables Samburu to become self-reliant in blood services and significantly strengthens emergency response capacity by ensuring the timely availability of safe, locally processed blood and transfusion services.
In his address, CS Duale praised the community and health workers for collecting 500 units of blood during the day’s activities—half of the county’s target of 1,000 units.
“Today marks more than just a celebration—it is a step forward in our journey toward health equity and Universal Health Coverage,” said CS Duale.
Presided over the National World Blood Donor Day celebrations in Samburu, where 500 units of blood were collected, halfway to the 1,000-unit target.
The event also saw 100 residents enrolled in the Social Health Authority (SHA), raising county coverage from 14% to 17.5%.
— Hon. Aden Duale, EGH (@HonAdenDuale) June 14, 2025
Digital Health Transformation Underway
Alongside the blood centre, Hon. Duale also launched the Samburu County Digital Health System, part of the national strategy to digitize healthcare under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
The county has already received 516 digital devices, with 38 trainers engaged and 172 healthcare workers trained to operate the system.
These devices will be deployed to 108 public health facilities, improving real-time access to patient data, streamlining service delivery, and enabling more accurate health reporting and planning.
“These two landmark initiatives—the Blood Satellite Centre and the Digital Health System—are pivotal in accelerating the realization of UHC in Kenya,” the CS added.
Boosting Health Access and Accountability
During the event, 100 residents registered with the Social Health Authority (SHA), increasing county coverage from 14% to 17.5%.
CS Duale called on Community Health Promoters (CHPs) to actively promote SHA and SHIF registration to ensure that all Kenyans—regardless of income or geography—can access quality healthcare.
The Ministry recognized 1,600 CHPs working in 147 CHP Units across Samburu for their frontline role in disease surveillance, health education, and referrals.
To enhance pharmaceutical integrity, Hon. Duale also announced the rollout of a national track-and-trace system to monitor medicines from manufacturer to patient, reinforcing transparency and accountability in the health supply chain.
The government will distribute over 74,000 digital devices nationwide to support this digital transformation and data-driven decision-making across the public health system.
Call for Vigilance and Recognition
Hon. Duale concluded the event by urging parents and caregivers to ensure children are vaccinated, following the arrival of BCG and Oral Polio Vaccines.
Institutions acknowledged for their outstanding support in blood donation and mobilization included the Kenya Defence Forces, National Police Service, Kenya Red Cross, Pumwani Maternity Hospital, and the people of Samburu County.
