Amref adopts Hemafuse to help combat internal-bleeding deaths

Demo of the medical device that allows doctors to reuse a patient's blood gathered from internal bleeding. (Photo Courtesy)

Amref Health Africa in Kenya has partnered with Sisu Global Health and Surgipharm to improve access to blood and safer surgical outcomes during medical missions and emergencies in Kenya.

The partnership aims at combating internal-bleeding related deaths thanks to Hemafuse, an innovative medical device that allows doctors to reuse a patient's blood gathered from internal bleeding.

"This partnership will make use of an innovative solution that will ensure that patients with internal bleeding have a chance of survival," said Amref Health Africa in Kenya's Country Director, Dr Meshack Ndirangu.

The medical device produced by Sisu Global Health can filter and pump blood from an internal haemorrhage into a blood bag, allowing it to be re-transfused to the same patient.

The device can also be reused up to 25 times hence providing an alternative to donor blood.

"It is inspiring to see Hemafuse used to save lives. With this partnership with Kenya, we look forward to enabling thousands of more clinicians to save more lives across the country," said Sajju Jain, Chief Operating Officer at Sisu Global Health.

This development comes at a time when the country is facing a chronic shortage of blood due to a lack of funds for screening tools and human resources to collect and store blood.

Speaking at the event, Mr Rakesh Vinayak, Director-Sales & Marketing at Surgipharm, said that the pharmaceutical industry has a critical role to play in finding effective and sustainable solutions to providing access to today's most pressing health concerns.

This initiative comes in the wake of the recent move by the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to stop its annual funding of KShs2 billion for blood collection and testing services in Kenya.?