Kenya runs for mothers as blood supply takes centre stage in fight against postpartum haemorrhage
Kenya is conducting nationwide 'Run for Her' events to raise awareness and blood donations for postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), the leading cause of maternal death in the region. The initiative aims to improve blood supply logistics through a roaming acquisition scheme to save mothers' lives.
Why it matters
Addressing maternal mortality through community-based blood donation programs is a critical public health strategy in sub-Saharan Africa.
On Sunday morning, Christine Gitonga joined thousands of runners at Ulinzi Sports Grounds in Nairobi for a 10-kilometre run dedicated to women at risk of dying from postpartum haemorrhage (PPH).
This was the third edition of “Run for Her: End Postpartum Haemorrhage,’ an annual run meant to raise awareness on excessive bleeding after childbirth which is a life-threatening complication and the leading cause of maternal deaths in Kenya and across sub-Saharan Africa.
But Gitonga was not only there to run. She also joined other participants in donating blood, a critical commodity in saving the lives of mothers experiencing PPH, for her donating blood was a no-brainer because she related personally to the cause.
“I am a mother, and I know how it feels to lose blood,” Gitonga said. “So, I want to save a life somewhere, whether it’s a mother or a baby.”
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