Soroti Fruit Factory staff donate 31 units of blood
Francis Anukur, the blood donor clerk at the Soroti regional blood bank, said their goal is to provide crucial support to patients in need, whether due to crashes, severe malaria, or surgical procedures.
TsegaMariam Tesfaye, the chief Executive Officer in-charge marketing at Soroti fruit factory donating blood on Saturday. (Credit Delux Emmy Alomu)
SOROTI - The staff of Soroti Fruit Factory in Uganda's eastern city of Soroti have collectively donated 31 units of blood, a move seen as significant in bolstering Teso sub-region's healthcare resources.
One unit of blood typically has a capacity of 450 to 500 millilitres (ml), which is the standard amount collected during a whole blood donation.
This volume generally includes an anticoagulant-preservative solution to keep the blood viable for transfusion.
The blood donation drive in Soroti was conducted by the Uganda Blood Transfusion Services (UBTS).
Francis Anukur, the blood donor clerk at the Soroti regional blood bank, said their goal is to provide crucial support to patients in need, whether due to crashes, severe malaria, or surgical procedures.
Some of the collected units of blood at Soroti Fruit Factory on Saturday. Credit: Delux Emmy Alomu)
He spoke of the urgent need for blood donations to save lives across various health facilities in Teso, noting that there are currently no local sources for this vital resource.
Each blood unit collected undergoes rigorous testing to ensure it is free from HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and C, before being distributed to health facilities for transfusion to those in dire need.
Anukur urged both institutions and members of the public to donate blood, assuring that the new blood bank will greatly benefit from a steady supply of blood.
TsegaMariam Tesfaye, the chief executive officer in charge of marketing at Soroti Fruit Factory, said their collaboration with the blood bank arose in response to the ongoing blood shortages faced by Teso hospitals.
All that was needed was a call from UBTS to organize a blood donation drive at their factory.
TsegaMariam advocated for the establishment of a culture of blood donation within organisations and institutions as a means to safeguard lives in the community.
“We needn't teach the importance of saving lives. Rather, we should simply remind everyone that blood donation is a vital way to do just that,” she said.
Notably, Teso sub-region recently celebrated the opening of its first state-of-the-art Soroti regional blood bank in Arapai last September.