The Uganda Blood Transfusion Services (UBTS) has partnered with Next Media Services in a campaign aimed at collecting enough blood to last the country through the Covid-19 lockdown.
The campaign that started on June 7 is to last until June 14, 2021 with an aim to collect at least 1500 units of blood daily across the country.
Speaking at the launch, UBTS Executive Director Dr. Dorothy Kyeyune said that they will have different blood collection centers across major parks and arcades.
"In Kampala, we have set up at Mukwano arcade and near the Old Taxi Park mainly," Dr. Kyeyune said.
Dr. Kyeyune said the abrupt closure of schools deprived the transfusion services of its main donor, which are the students, and this campaign comes to avert an eminent blood shortage problem.
“The first lockdown really affected us and we anticipate another challenge because schools are closed, communities are restricted so we are trying to avert a blood shortage crisis.”
According to UBTS, students in Uganda contribute at least 70% of the total blood collections and in a period when schools are closed, the transfusion arrives suffer.
UBTS also launched a mobile application called ‘Blood for Uganda’ which will be used to narrow the gap between donors and patients.
Speaking about the partnership, Next Media's head of Communications and Public Relations, Desire Derekford Mugumisa said that as Next Media, this partnership means a lot to them.
"For us as a company, informing to transform is something that we keep saying to ourselves and it is something we have as a mission. Most importantly, it is something we live everyday and this is why we are part of this campaign," Mugumisa said.
Blood is mostly needed by mothers during delivery, accident victims and during surgery among others.
