HEALTH: Over 42000 units of blood collected in Kyaddondo county blood donation drive
At least 42218 units of blood were collected during a week- long blood donation drive in Kyadondo county, in Buganda Kingdom.
The Kyaddondo County blood donation drive started on 16th January and ended on Monday 23rd January, 2023 at different venues across the county. The campaign reached different categories including; taxi drivers, boda boda riders, religious sects, markets, and in other public places.
The blood donation drive which was organised by Kabaka Foundation was launched by the Buganda Kingdom Premier Charles Peter Mayiga at Old Kampala SSS grounds last week.
Buganda Premier Charles Peter Mayiga urged the subjects of Buganda to participate in blood donation drives in order to fight blood scarcity in the country. He made the remarks shortly after donating blood.
Mayiga also called on the population to join hands in building a strong health system for the country rather than being divided on political, ethnic, and religious grounds
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He said health is an equalizer and it is important that it’s prioritized, calling on all Ugandans to work in unity on the matters of health, despite the many differences of political opinion, ethnicity and inequalities.
He called for the establishment of blood banks in different parts of the country, adding that Buganda will continue to cooperate unconditionally with the central government on health issues.
Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago who also donated blood at the same camp said there is increased demand for blood in the city due to the numerous road crashes with statistics indicating 10 deaths for every 100,000 people, with the crashes involving majorly boda boda riders , pedal cyclists and pedestrians.
The Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II has always urged his subjects to participate in blood donation drives in order to fight blood scarcity in the country. Kabaka said, blood donation is everyone’s responsibility since anyone can be a victim anytime in need of blood.
The concluded blood donation drive in Kampala organized by the Kabaka Foundation aimed at collecting 50,000 units in 8 days, including a blood donation awareness campaign and recruiting 2000 new donors.
According to the World Health Organization’s Global Database on Blood Safety, a country should be able to collect blood equivalent to 1% of its population. Uganda has an estimated population of about 46 million but collects far below the required amount.
According to the Health Ministerial Policy Statement for the Financial Year 2021/2022, it is estimated that 8,400 mothers are referred to regional referral hospitals annually because local health centers lack the capacity to perform obstetric care as they cannot transfuse blood.
There is a need to collect at least 450,000 units of blood if lives are to be saved per year according to Uganda Blood Transfusion Services.
Of the blood currently collected, 29% is used to treat people with severe malaria, 17% to treat people with sickle anemia , 15% is used to treat cancer, 6% to treat accident victims with the remaining 16% being used to treat other cases like burns, and surgical procedures.
Of the 336 out of the 100,000 people who die during childbirth, haemorrhage continues to be the leading cause of maternal death, contributing 42 percent of all deaths reviewed.
