UPDF recruits donate blood to avert crisis

BLOOD DONATION

To avert blood shortage in the country, Uganda Blood Transfusion Service (UBTS) had to turn to UPDF recruits for the blood to save lives.

According to the director of UTBS, Dr Dorothy Kyeyune, the country would have been plunged into blood crisis as the major blood donors the students are currently on holiday.

"We had to go to Kaweweta Military Training School were 4,000 new recruits are undergoing training to get blood. This is how we are able to mitigate the situation," Dr Kyeyune revealed.

She disclosed that 8,000 units of blood were collected from the UPDF recruits undergoing training in Nakaseke district.

Some of the recruits who were successful to join UPDF head for training during the recruitment exercise at Kololo Independence Grounds on Friday, Dec 27, 2019. Photo by Francis Emorut

 
The UBTS boss made the revelation after a press conference called to encourage Ugandans to donate blood to save lives at the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) in Kampala on Monday.  

Blood crisis

Dr Kyeyune said 50 units of blood are required per day in every regional hospital in the country.

"If we don't have it the patients will die. We need blood every day every minute and every second," she stated.

She pointed out that the nation can't survive without blood and suggested that blood must be donated by everyone in the country.

Dr Kyeyune noted that blood is needed for pregnant women who have complications during delivery and for anaemic and cancer patients as well as accident victims.

A package of the blood of units collected after a blood drive campaign at Constitutional Square in Kampala on Monday, Jan 13, 2019. Photo by Francis Emorut

 
She explained that the country has 25 teams where each is required to collect 50 units of blood every day and failure to achieve it will lead to blood shortage.

However, the 8,000 blood units collected from the UPDF are sufficient until the students return to school.

She told journalists that Uganda healthcare system uses about 1,500 units of blood daily but her organisation is able to collect only 1,250 units daily of the required blood.

Richard Byarugaba the managing director of NSSF, emphasised that there is a need to end blood shortage in the health care system in the country

 "Given that blood is unique and cannot be manufactured, it, therefore, means that regular donations by unpaid blood donors remain the only source of sufficient, quality and safe blood," Byarugaba said.

He said the blood drive campaign which started yesterday will last five days and the company aims at collecting 10,000 units of blood.

He outlined the blood donation centres as City Square, Clock Tower, Mukawano Arcade, Sekaziga House and Good Shade all in Kampala.

Other places are Bwaise Roundabout, Workers House Lobby, William Street, Kikuyu Roundabout and Nateete at Samona building.

For upcountry centres, the exercise will be in be conducted in the districts of Lira, Alebtong, Fort Portal town, Bududa and Nebbi.

During the press conference, the blood transfusion beneficiaries recounted their ordeal and how they survived death.

Evelyn Awor, 34, a police officer stationed in Entebbe had an ectopic pregnancy which made her bleed severely requiring blood transfusion of 2 units of blood.

Anne Ssempijja, 32, an engineer bled after delivering a dead baby and was given 4 units of blood while Alex Okello, 39, assistant lecturer at Makerere University had his 6-months-old baby saved from death due to anaemic condition.