"A lot of myths surround blood and there are unknown fears in blood donation. Some people fear how their blood is used," says Leli.
"Through education, we assure them during messaging that when blood is donated, it is used to support someone,", he adds.
Kenya National Blood Transfusion Services (KNBTS) manager Coastal region Grace Nzilani says maternity is the highest consumer of blood in Kilifi and Coastal region, followed by accident and cancer patients.
In Maternity, mothers require "whole blood, or platelets to stop bleeding, whereas cancer patients require platelets for treatment".
However, myths surrounding blood donation and low haemoglobin among locals is a major hindrance to blood collection drives in Coastal region.
Kilifi for instance she says "men rarely donate blood for their wives because it is believed if they do, the wives are likely to die", whereas women rarely donate for unknown reasons.
Additionally, she says haemoglobin levels among people in Coastal region is low because of high humidity, which limit their donation.
"People come to donation centres to donate blood only to be found to have haemoglobin levels 5. Out of 60 people turning out to donate blood, only 20 go through," says Nzilani noting that highest HB level among men is 11.5, and 10.5 in women.
Annual blood target for coastal region is 100 per cent, but KNBTS together with partners only manage to receive about 70 to 80 per cent.
As a mitigation, KNBTS is sensitising communities through Community Health Promoters and local administrators on the importance of blood, and to demystify myths surrounding blood.
Additionally, individuals more so women are trained on nutrition to boost their haemoglobin levels, away from fast foods.
On her part, Chigulu observes that preconception care is key in boosting haemoglobin in maternal health.
"Before you get pregnant, your womb and body should be prepared," Chigulu.
Additionally, Antenatal Care (ANC) helps correct anaemia in women who have not undergone pre-conception care.
Those with low HB are transfused, and then put on iron and folic acid supplements.
A doctor's experience in rush to donate blood did not save patient's life
Dr Daisy Juma, a consultant family physician, was shaken.
She had just received a pregnant woman due for delivery and was bleeding, having had a uterine rapture.
She was wheeled to theatre, but could not be operated on, having had low blood levels. She was paper white (pale), yet blood banks at the hospital were dry.
"As a medical officer on call and a surgeon, I made multiple calls to different hospitals across the coastal region but could not get the commodity," recalls Juma. "The situation was dire,".
The in charge at Rabai Hospital, who was by then working at Kilifi County Referral Hospital, dashed into the laboratory, to donate blood for the mother
Sadly, the woman died in the process of being transfused.
"I am yet to get closure to the woman's death. If we had blood in our banks, I could have rushed her immediately to the theatre and removed the uterus to save her life. I got blood, but it was late," recalls the doctor.
In another case, she witnessed a woman collapse at the admission area at the facility.
She rushed to save the life, but it was too late, woman had lost blood to internal bleeding as a result of uterus rapture, but delayed seeking care.
"I wish this particular woman was brought to the hospital on time, or any of her family members understood danger signs of lack of blood like dizziness, pain in the abdomen," observes Juma.
Apart from the two, she says she has witnessed numerous cases of women bleeding to death as a result of uterus rapture.
Bleeding, she maintains, is risky in pregnancy, and leads to death if a woman is not attended to.
To avoid maternal deaths due to lack of blood, Juma notes that pregnant women should be sensitised on the importance of blood, eat healthily, and take folic acid and iron tablets.
This story was made possible with the support of the UZIMA-DS project, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).