Kenyans donate blood for Garissa terror victims

Kenyans on Monday turned up in large numbers to donate blood for 79 terror survivors following last week's massacre of 148 students at the Garissa University College.

The blood drive which kicked off Monday morning in Nairobi, will last for the next three days beginning from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., first aid charity said.

St John's Ambulance Communications Manager Fred Majiwa said huge paints of blood had been collected from well wishers in a blood donation drive at noon.

Majiwa said the exercise is geared towards helping victims of the terror attack and all other patients in urgent need of blood all over the country.

Upon arrival for the initiative, all donors are taken through four easy steps including registration, medical history and quick physical checkup, donation and refreshments.

The actual donation exercise takes less than 12 minutes per person.

To donate blood, it is recommended that one must weigh more than 50 kg, be between 16 and 65 years and take a meal before donating blood. Ones medical history is also a key component factored.

The blood drive is an initiative of St. John Ambulance together with the National Blood Transfusion Service and Bloodlink Foundation.

The survivors who had been airlifted to Nairobi for specialized treatment are still recuperating. Endi