KAMPALA- There have been various drives to tackle the issue of blood shortage in Uganda but a lot needs to be done because the need for more than what is available.
In the bid to respond to the blood deficit , Karis Medical, Catherine Phill Sickle Cell Support, Super Deal Hardware,
, Centenary Bank, Rotary Clubs of Early Kyanja, Kentim University , LifeMark Trading , Nakasero blood bank together with other partners organized a blood donation drive that has been part of their community engagement drives for the past three months.
Speaking at their Premises at Kyanja Mall, Andy Kristian Agaba appreciated the partners that came on board for the campaign because they approached many entities but many did not come through.
“There is a deficiency of over 450, 000 units of blood per year and we can only do this through the little but meaningful commitments like this , we are doing since they create a difference. We are focusing on prevention and for the last three months , we have done free tests and over 1,000 people have come through”. Agaba Said
He also noted that a healthier community is a better community and they are more of the preventative approach than treatment and giving back to the community is part of their way of service as an entity.
Daniel Roy Odur , Executive Director, Catherine Phill Sickle Cell Support Initiative emphasized that they conducted free sickle cell tests and wellness campaign so that people can know their statuses and also take on the necessary remedies.
Odur stressed that blood is one of the key factors in sickle cell treatment and the donation drive is timely and crucial for their endeavors.
He also called upon every one to look at it as their responsibility since it one of the ways of saving lives.
“Annually 25,000 children are born with sickle cell with 80 percent that die and Lango and Acholi has the highest percentage according to the recent research. These regions have a high malaria ratio and then also have challenges that people think it is witchcraft and this needs a lot of education and sensitization”.
Odur also appealed to the government to create incentives that are very important in the treatment of sickle cells such as the kits , affordable care and many more related items so that many patients are not strained financially.
Arthur Ssekulya, a Laboratory Technician, Uganda Blood Transfusion Services said that they have done very many drives and since the schools are closed for a break, they have challenges and that was one of the ways to handle the situation.
One of the blood donors, Martha Kyampaire a resident of Kisaasi thanked Karis Medical and its partner for conducting such people – centered services that were free for them since testing is very crucial of any diagnosis and helps a lot.
