The Acting Division Medical Officer of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) 3 Infantry Division, Second Lieutenant Lambert Ojala, has called on officers and militants to regularly donate blood, describing it as a critical life-saving practice that should be embraced as part of routine service.
He made the remarks during a one-day blood donation drive held in partnership with the Moroto Blood Bank, aimed at strengthening blood supplies in the Karamoja sub-region, where health facilities continue to face shortages.
The exercise was organised to improve blood availability across the region and ensure a steady supply for transfusion-dependent patients.
Lt Ojala noted that the Moroto Blood Bank supports 10 transfusion facilities, making consistent collection essential to meeting the region’s medical needs.
He further highlighted that the Moroto Sector Field Hospital records an average of five patients per month in its maternity and paediatric wards, alongside accident victims who often require urgent blood transfusions.
“Officers and militants should embrace blood donation as a routine practice because of its life-saving impact. Donors also benefit from free screening for conditions such as HIV and syphilis and are informed of their blood group, which can support future medical care,” he said.
According to Ojala, blood donation also provides an opportunity for voluntary health screening, including tests for HIV and syphilis, as well as awareness of one’s blood group.
At the same event, Sofia Nakwashi, a nursing officer at Moroto Blood Bank and team leader for the drive, said the facility serves all nine districts in the Karamoja sub-region.
She expressed concern over negative perceptions about blood donation in some communities, which she attributed partly to misinformation spread by certain opinion leaders.
Nakwasi added that the challenge is often worse during school holidays, when donor turnout tends to drop significantly.
To address the gap, she said the blood bank has intensified outreach through community sensitisation campaigns and radio programmes aimed at encouraging voluntary donation.
Among those who participated was Staff Sergeant Dan Char, an ideology and leadership trainee from the Uniform Battalion, who donated blood for the first time.
He said the experience helped him overcome initial fears and committed to becoming a regular donor.
Senior officers, including Commanding Officer 3CIT Maj Apollo Tushabe and Commanding Officer 99 Battalion Maj Mugenyi, also took part in the exercise, underscoring the army’s support for the initiative.