Nile Breweries, Red Cross target 800 units in world blood donor day drive

 Beer company, Nile Breweries Limited(NBL) has launched a donation drive for 800 units of blood in three days as part of celebrations to mark the world blood donor day held every June,14.

The drive will be done at the Constitutional Square, Nakasero market and new taxi park among other parts of the country.

Speaking during the launch of the drive at the Constitutional Square in Kampala, Dr. Charles Olaro, the Director in charge of Clinical Services in the Ministry of Health said blood is a critical requirement for human beings but noted that it can only be got through donations.

“We require at least one percent of the country’s population in form of blood units. This means with over 40 million people, we need at least 400,000 units of blood annually. This has to come from people through donations. The aspect of donating blood is therefore an aspect of solidarity that should be embraced by everyone to help extend a life to others,”Dr.Olaro said.

According to Dr. Justine Okwera, the Director in charge of Health and Social Services at the Uganda  Red Cross Society, through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Health Ministry and Uganda Blood Transfusion Services, they help carry out blood donor recruitment and mobilization countrywide.

She noted that with partners like Nile Breweries coming on board to push the blood donation cause, it helps ease their work.

“Having such partners like Nile Breweries join the blood mobilization drive reassures our commitment to partnerships that bring lasting social value for the wellbeing of communities we serve,”Dr. Okwera noted.

She highlighted that Red Cross has always broadened its base of blood donor in the community through volunteers, members and partnerships with cultural institutions and other organisations in the country.

Nile Breweries Limited Legal and Corporate Affairs director, Onapito Ekomoloit said the beer company will always work with all stakeholders to support life-saving and improving initiatives such as blood donation that are needed by the public.

“We are demonstrating that we shall always support good causes in the country like blood donation. Our dream is to create a future with more cheers and this means working with governments, law enforcement, public safety organisations, academia, other companies and civil society to enable a sustainable future for communities and improve their lives,”Onapito said.

As part of the drive, Onapito said Nile Breweries will be giving out a bar of soap to blood donors to assist in promoting hygiene amid the high commodity prices.

He added that the drive is part of  the beer company’s efforts to draw  the public’s attention to the menace caused by road accidents since accident victims are among those who badly need blood services.

“We want to help achieve the goal of reducing traffic deaths and injuries atleast by 50% between 2021 and 2030.”