Several lives are expected to be saved
by blood donated by Enabel staff recently.
The blood donation drive organised in
partnership with Uganda Blood Transfusion Service took place at Nakasero
National Blood Bank in Kampala.
Uganda
Blood Transfusion Service is the body responsible for blood transfusion and safety activities countrywide.
The exercise aimed at increasing the
supply of emergency blood following repeated cries for blood by regional blood
banks and health facilities.
Enabel Health Programme Manager Dr.
Monica Imi said blood shortage is a serious health problem requiring urgent and
collective effort.
World Health Organization’s global
database on blood safety calls upon countries to collect blood equivalent to at
least 1 percent of their population.
Uganda last year collected 260,000
units of blood compared to a target of 340,000 units.
Dr. Imi said blood shortage is resulting
in several avoidable deaths caused by conditions related to the shortage of
blood including heavy bleeding in women after childbirth.
According to Uganda Red Cross Society,
schools have been the number one blood collection point, supplying 70 percent
of the blood.
Unfortunately, the 2-year closure of
learning institutions due to COVID-19 cut off access to students hence
worsening the blood shortage crisis.
Uganda has seven regional blood banks
(Arua, Fort Portal, Gulu, Kitovu, Mbale, Mbarara, and Nakasero) charged with
the responsibility of supplying blood to health facilities in their respective
jurisdictions. There are also six blood collection centers located in Hoima, Jinja, Kabale,
Rukungiri Lira and Soroti.
The
collection of safe blood adequate to meet the transfusion needs of all patients in the country is one of the priorities of the
latest Uganda Blood Transfusion strategic plan.
World
Blood Donor Day
Uganda
today joins the rest of the world to commemorate Blood Donor Day 2022 held
under the theme; “Donating blood is an act of solidarity. Join the effort and save lives.” The theme focuses on the need to increase the number of blood
donors.
Uganda is estimated to have between
80,000 - 90,000 registered blood donors.
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