NBSZ has hiked the price of blood for private patients to over $10 000 per single unit of blood, with effect from 15 June 2020, Newsday reports. However, blood will remain free for public hospital patients.
This was revealed by NBSZ Spokesperson Esther Massundah who said:
As a result of the current inflationary environment, NBSZ is procuring these products from the local market at a premium which is over 240% as compared to the current interbank exchange rate. Therefore, it has become necessary to adjust the cost of blood components in order to be sustainable and maintain quality of products.
However, blood remains in short supply countrywide for both private and public patients as the blood bank is still inadequately stocked due to COVID-19 induced challenges.
More: Newsday