Bodaboda cyclists, mothers urged to donate blood more

By Jacquiline Nakandi

A nurse and counselor at Masaka blood bank, Resty Mayanja, has urged bodaboda cyclists to donate blood because most accidents are caused by them.

"There is no machine that manufactures blood, let them come and donate so that they can also save lives of others instead of waiting to be saved," said Mayanja. 

She said mothers should also join the bodabada cyclists in the struggle because they too use excessive blood during maternity period.

Mayanja was speaking during the blood donation drive of over 20 employees of Mogas Uganda Limited at Mogas corporate office Nile Avenue Kampala.

Okuni (middle) and some of the Mogas staff members donating blood. PHOTO/Jacquiline Nakandi

The theme was donate blood and save lives.

The human resource manager Mogas, Lawrence Stephen Okuni, said, "We are touched to see accidents and people dying due to scarcity of blood in the hospital."

"We had to make a contribution to ensure that this status is at rest," he said

He added that donating blood is the only way we can give back to the public.

This call comes at a time when road accidents caused by the bodaboda have spiked.

According to the World Health Organisation's Global Status Report on Road Safety 2013, Uganda is named among countries with alarmingly high road accident rates, second in Africa.