Over 1000 units of blood collected at Bulange

BLOOD DONATION 

The 4-day blood-donation health camp at Bulange Mengo (the seat of the Kingdom of Buganda) has ended this afternoon (Friday, October 30), with a call on all Ugandans to respond positively when called upon to donate blood.

Sarah Muteegombwa, the Blood Donor Recruitment Programme Manager at Uganda Red Cross, said the country still faced a 20% shortage of blood, which exposed a big number of Ugandans to death.

She thanked the loyal donors, who donate blood every year.

Muteegombwa later encouraged more Ugandans, in particular those in the youthful category, to exercise their patriotism by becoming blood donors.

The Attorney General of Buganda Kingdom, Hon Christopher Bwanika, who closed the camp, also emphasised the need for Ugandans to donate blood, referring to the practice as a noble duty.

 "There is no factory for blood. Blood is manufactured in our bodies. So, let us look after our bodies well so that we are healthy and fit to donate blood. We must have proper diets. We also need to exercise our bodies and to have regular check-ups."

Bwanika thanked Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi for improving the health of the people of Buganda and Uganda, through his health initiatives, championed by Kabaka Foundation.

He later thanked the government of Uganda, the ministry of health, and organisations such as the Uganda Red Cross, Mengo Rotary Blood Bank, Uganda Blood Transfusion Services, the Indian Association, and others, which have always partnered with the Buganda Kingdom to implement the kingdom's health-inclined initiatives.

The CEO of the Kabaka Foundation, Kaggwa Edward Ndagala, said the camp had been successful.

"Some people were suggesting that we halt the exercise because of the challenge of Covid-19, but we opted to go on with our arrangement because of the great need for blood. Given the prevailing challenges of the pandemic, we expected to get 600 units of blood. Interestingly, we have so far got 1225 units, which is twice our target!"

Ndagala said his foundation had plans to take blood donation camps to rural areas, to give poor people who could not travel to Bulange-Mengo the opportunity to donate blood.

During the opening of the camp, on Tuesday (October 27, 2020), the Katikkiro of Buganda, Charles Peter Mayiga launched a mobile phone application, Uganda for Blood, which people will be downloading to know the blood donation programmes and venues.