Over 600 UPDF soldiers donate blood

PIC: Soldiers braved the downpour during the Terehe sita celebrations on Friday. (Credit: Julius Luwemba)

BLOOD DONATION 

WAKISO - Over 600 Uganda People's Defense Forces (UPDF) soldiers donated blood during the one-week Terehe Sita celebrations.

Terehe Sita cerebrations were launched on February 3, to mark 37 years since the first bullet was fired during a liberation struggle that brought the current government in power. Celebrations were subsequently held in different parts of the country.

According to the Uganda People's Defense Air Force (UPDAF) public relations officer, Captain Authur Timbaganya, soldiers spent the week engaging in different civic activities. These included cleaning roads, streets, hospitals, parks, free medical treatment, donating blood.

"We always engage in such activities to thank and showcase to people that they are part of us and, therefore, appreciate their support and contribution towards the army," Timbaganya said.

The army Air force spokesperson further revealed that over 600 soldiers volunteered in donating blood aimed at saving people's lives.

"We held special activities where we invited a team of medical workers from the Joint Clinic Research Centre and Blood Bank team who spent a week collecting blood from soldiers," she said.

Florence Mirembe from the Joint Clinic and Research Centre (JCRC), revealed that 99.9% of the units of blood collected from the soldiers is free from infections. 

"We have been testing all kinds of sicknesses among soldiers and found all of them in good health," she said.

She, however, could not disclose the number of blood units collected, saying a compilation was due to be made hence no final figure could be revealed by press time.

Meanwhile, during the same celebrations held on Friday at the Airforce base in Entebbe, Wakiso district, Maj. Gen. Gavas Mugyenyi, said celebrating Tarehe Sita is not only a reminder of the struggle that brought peace in the country, but also a way of appreciating all the masses in the country.

The celebrations were climaxed with a march of soldiers in different units of the army, including airforce, special forces command, Uganda police, and other forces from East African countries.

Others were political leaders in areas of Entebbe, students and civil servants, all of whom braved the downpour, marching through the streets of Kitooro, Entebbe town and back to the airforce base.