On 2 October 2026, Defence Forces Memorial Hospital (DFMH) carried out a red blood cell exchange on a 15‑year‑old girl with sickle‑cell disease, using the newly acquired Spectra Optia apheresis system in its renal unit.

The procedure removes abnormal or sickled red cells from the patient’s bloodstream and replaces them with compatible donor cells, lowering the proportion of sickled cells and improving oxygen delivery throughout the body.

Red blood cell exchange is reserved for patients with serious complications or those requiring specialised transfusion treatment, and differs from conventional transfusion which merely adds donor blood to the circulation.

Eligibility for the service is limited to beneficiaries of the Kenya Defence Forces health system – active personnel, their families and other approved dependents – who meet clinical criteria for exchange transfusion.

The apheresis machine separates blood components, removes the targeted red cells, returns the remaining plasma and platelets to the patient, and infuses healthy donor red cells back into circulation.

According to the World Health Organization, exchange transfusion can manage severe sickle‑cell complications such as stroke and acute chest syndrome and also reduces iron overload from repeated conventional transfusions.

The Spectra Optia system is costly and requires specialised equipment, trained staff and a reliable supply of compatible donor blood; patients may still experience transfusion reactions or develop antibodies.

The new capability reduces the need for eligible patients to seek specialised care outside the military health network and positions DFMH as a referral centre for complex blood disorders.

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kisumu has already introduced automated red blood cell exchange using the same Spectra Optia system, indicating a growing national capacity for this advanced therapy.